Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,334 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $3,273 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Medellin costs about 23% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Ubud, Bali by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

138.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$38.59 Rp 680.4K

25.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

76.99%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

10.23%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

16.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

97.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

17.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

34.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

-12.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

7.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

50.44%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

37.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$17.39 Rp 306.7K

-42.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

178.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$12.55 Rp 221.3K

17.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

12.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

0.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

-9.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

7.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-35.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

15.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.55 Rp 9,781

110.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

73.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$23.81 Rp 419.8K

-39.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

-31.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

1.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.27 Rp 4,803

333.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

797.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.48 Rp 8,490

166.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.45 Rp 7,865

364.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

50.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

71.05%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$24.5K Rp 431.7M

12.97%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$32.1K Rp 566.4M

10.54%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$176 COP 550.1K

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

110.74%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

106.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$18.99 Rp 334.9K

57.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$56.0 Rp 987.0K

-20.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$18.62 Rp 328.3K

-8.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

44.86%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$793 COP 2.5M

$487 Rp 8.6M

63.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$5,856 Rp 103.3M

54.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$45.56 Rp 803.3K

87.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$36.38 Rp 641.5K

60.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

66.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

28.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

-5.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$701 Rp 12.4M

-3.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

-43.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

-33.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

45.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

-25.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$170 Rp 3.0M

291.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

13.78

-20.61%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 292% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $293 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $2,095 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $1,396 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,396, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.