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: $494 in Meru versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $821 in Meru versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,148 in Meru versus $3,694 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 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.50 KES 714

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

54.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.30 KES 5,096

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

20.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 KES 868

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

37.86%

Cappuccino

$2.39 KES 310

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

-13.09%

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

$0.76 KES 98.8

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-42.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.4

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 KES 305

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

-19.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 KES 380

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

-22.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 106

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

-52.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 KES 52.4

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

-83.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 KES 143

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

-8.33%

Eggs

$1.44 KES 187

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

-40.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.48 KES 1,488

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

-20.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 KES 883

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

58.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 KES 664

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

-58.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 KES 398

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

-16.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 KES 102

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

-49.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 KES 103

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

-71.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.9

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

-67.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

-47.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-55.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.22 KES 28.37

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-79.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KES 57.9

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

-38.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 KES 399

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

-6.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.42 KES 1,480

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-49.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-21.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 KES 364

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

1.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 204

$0.45 Rp 8,047

248.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$0.45 Rp 8,094

248.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 386

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

-52.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 KES 141

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

28.24%

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

$21.3K KES 2.8M

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

-17.84%

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

-35.93%

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

$34.79 KES 4,511

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

-56.92%

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

$16.59 KES 2,151

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

308.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.34 KES 5,101

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

61.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 KES 813

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

55.20%

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

$203 KES 26.4K

$304 Rp 5.4M

-33.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,189 KES 1.1M

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

23.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.16 KES 2,355

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

-66.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.29 KES 3,149

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

-37.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.3 KES 8,332

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

-25.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 KES 7,252

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

-27.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $39.00 in Meru vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $297, 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 184% 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 $741 in Meru and $2,106 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 $304 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 $494 in Meru versus $1,404 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 $494 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 184% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.