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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,440 per month in Messina vs $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,251 per month in Messina vs $2,557 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,062 per month in Messina vs $3,723 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Messina costs about 3% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Messina and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Messina by 8%, Ubud, Bali by 5%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.80 €11.95

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

286.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 €50.6

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

80.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 €9.83

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

126.55%

Cappuccino

$1.98 €1.72

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

-29.79%

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

$2.24 €1.94

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

65.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.05

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

65.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.46 €2.99

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

18.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 €2.99

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

-12.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-21.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 €1.82

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 €2.36

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

136.52%

Eggs

$3.47 €3.01

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

43.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 €8.28

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

-33.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.04 €8.69

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

139.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.68 €15.31

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

46.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 €2.41

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

-23.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

11.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 €1.03

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-57.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 €2.63

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

35.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 €0.63

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

-63.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 €1.04

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-46.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

12.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 €0.35

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-48.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 €5.89

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

113.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.63 €4.88

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-76.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.35

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-46.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 €2.16

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

-9.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.54

$0.27 Rp 4,813

559.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.00 €37.24

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

413.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.74 €4.11

$0.45 Rp 8,167

953.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.46 Rp 8,298

226.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.48 €40.25

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

665.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.80

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

140.70%

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

$35.7K €30.9K

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

34.10%

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

$28.9K €25.1K

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

-11.08%

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

$189 €163

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

138.66%

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

$14.54 €12.59

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

255.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.46 €22.92

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

10.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 €44.19

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-48.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.47 €15.13

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

175.12%

Cinema Ticket

$9.79 €8.48

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

144.14%

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

$351 €304

$297 Rp 5.4M

18.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K €9,268

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

62.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 €78.4

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

69.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.69 €27.44

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

-16.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 €77.5

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €112

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

68.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$631 €547

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-38.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 €404

$680 Rp 12.3M

-31.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 €880

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

-70.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$872 €755

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

-58.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,089 €1,809

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

-23.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,699 €1,471

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

-25.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,758 €1,523

$164 Rp 3.0M

974.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.72

13.28

-64.46%

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

Last update for Messina: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $631 in Messina versus $1,020 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 974% higher in Messina, 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 $58.0 in Messina versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Messina vs $298 in Ubud, Bali – so Messina wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Messina costs about 3% more than Ubud, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,160 per month in Messina and $2,088 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.

Kindergarten costs $351 per month in Messina and $297 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Messina – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,392, than in Messina at $1,440. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Messina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,392 versus $1,440 in Messina. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Messina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.