Cost of Living Comparison Between Merced, CA and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Merced, CA and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,475 in Merced, CA versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,618 in Merced, CA versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,761 in Merced, CA versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Merced, CA is roughly 74% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Merced, CA 85% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.29 $20.29

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

469.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.11 $40.11

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

22.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 $11.72

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

136.77%

Cappuccino

$5.91 $5.91

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

118.08%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

129.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

190.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.09 $9.09

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

211.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.96 $9.96

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

151.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-34.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

184.48%

Eggs

$4.80 $4.80

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

95.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.80 $10.80

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-26.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.45 $15.45

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

257.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.27 $17.27

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

42.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

53.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

63.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

-47.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

92.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

9.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

45.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

0.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

256.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.27 $10.27

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

209.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 $15.14

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-36.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

-15.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

15.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.27 Rp 4,800

444.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 $59.6

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

642.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 $3.09

$0.46 Rp 8,150

571.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.45 Rp 8,037

268.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.91 $26.91

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

341.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

55.70%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

14.20%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-15.82%

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

$273 $273

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

241.46%

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

$34.82 $34.82

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

757.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

185.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.49 $33.49

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-66.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 $14.15

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

113.42%

Cinema Ticket

$15.73 $15.73

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

279.04%

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

$1,942 $1,942

$304 Rp 5.4M

539.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.4K $26.4K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

299.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

-4.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.16 $44.16

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

15.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 $88.7

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

0.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

78.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 $1,641

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

63.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 $1,073

$675 Rp 12.1M

58.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,960 $1,960

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-43.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 $1,894

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-7.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,870 $2,870

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

1.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,857 $2,857

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

26.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,286 $3,286

$165 Rp 3.0M

1888.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

13.28

-52.11%

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

Last update for Merced, CA: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,641 in Merced, CA and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Merced, CA pays 1889% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40.00 in Merced, CA vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $302 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

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

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

Merced, CA and Ubud, Bali differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($2,475 vs $1,419 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Merced, CA pays 1889% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,641 in Merced, CA versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,942 in Merced, CA versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Merced, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,475 in Merced, CA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Merced, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Merced, CA and Ubud, Bali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Merced, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.