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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $489 in Meru versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $812 in Meru versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,136 in Meru versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Meru costs roughly 66% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Meru is 63% below, Ubud, Bali is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 KES 689

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

49.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.12 KES 5,049

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

20.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 KES 876

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

33.93%

Cappuccino

$2.40 KES 309

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

-15.19%

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

$0.76 KES 98.2

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

-43.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 68.8

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

-23.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 KES 306

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

-20.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

-26.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KES 113

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 KES 51.9

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

-84.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

-10.92%

Eggs

$1.41 KES 182

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

-41.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 KES 1,486

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

-21.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 KES 852

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

57.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.98 KES 643

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

-58.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 KES 389

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

-18.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 KES 103

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

-50.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 KES 103

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

-70.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 103

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

-66.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

-46.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 KES 128

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

-54.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 KES 31.06

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

-77.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 KES 57.3

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 KES 405

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

0.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.51 KES 1,485

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

-51.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 286

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

-18.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 KES 363

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

-2.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

$0.45 Rp 7,863

240.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 KES 193

$0.42 Rp 7,305

254.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 KES 367

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

-53.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 KES 138

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

27.38%

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

$21.3K KES 2.8M

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

-18.65%

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

$19.7K KES 2.5M

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

-39.43%

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

$34.22 KES 4,417

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-56.36%

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

$16.94 KES 2,187

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

328.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.87 KES 5,017

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

59.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 KES 782

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

50.00%

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

$203 KES 26.1K

$303 Rp 5.2M

-33.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,181 KES 1.1M

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

25.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.30 KES 2,362

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

-66.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.23 KES 3,127

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

-36.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 KES 8,550

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

-23.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 KES 7,243

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-28.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

13.28

11.75%

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

Last update for Meru: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $39.00 in Meru vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $298, with Meru cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Meru wins on cost – living expenses run 194% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Meru the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $733 in Meru and $2,158 in Ubud, Bali to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $203 in Meru versus $303 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Meru – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $489 in Meru versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Meru but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Meru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Meru delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $489 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Meru hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Meru 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 Meru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 194% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.