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 $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $822 in Meru versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,155 in Meru versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Meru costs roughly 65% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Meru is 63% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.55 KES 717

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

55.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.95 KES 5,034

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

20.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 KES 866

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

33.73%

Cappuccino

$2.49 KES 322

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

-11.70%

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

$0.70 KES 91.0

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-48.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 68.6

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

-27.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 KES 295

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

-22.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

-28.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 KES 108

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-52.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 KES 52.6

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

-83.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

-7.83%

Eggs

$1.41 KES 182

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

-41.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.83 KES 1,528

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

-17.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 KES 873

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

61.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.88 KES 631

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

-59.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 KES 399

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

-15.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.4

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-52.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-71.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.6

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

-66.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

-46.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 KES 128

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-56.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.22 KES 28.36

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

-79.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 KES 57.1

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-44.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 KES 397

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

-3.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 KES 1,481

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-51.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 KES 298

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-20.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KES 361

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

1.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 203

$0.45 Rp 8,167

248.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 196

$0.46 Rp 8,298

230.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 KES 369

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

-53.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 KES 134

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

19.77%

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

-18.77%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

-38.35%

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

$34.33 KES 4,437

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-56.56%

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

$16.69 KES 2,157

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

308.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.11 KES 5,055

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

63.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.14 KES 794

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

53.12%

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

$201 KES 26.0K

$297 Rp 5.4M

-32.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,069 KES 1.0M

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

22.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.42 KES 2,380

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

-65.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.74 KES 3,068

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

-37.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 KES 8,402

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-26.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.1 KES 7,385

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

-25.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $39.00 in Meru vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 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 185% 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 $734 in Meru and $2,088 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 $201 in Meru versus $297 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $489 in Meru versus $1,392 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 185% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.