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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $607 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $933 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,260 in Medan.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 130% more expensive than in Medan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Medan is 56% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

95.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

342.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

86.49%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

70.32%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

$0.34 Rp 6,114

391.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$0.25 Rp 4,458

208.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

52.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

19.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

43.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

94.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

36.14%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

57.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

119.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

9.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

94.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

48.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

48.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

58.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

114.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

118.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

34.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$0.41 Rp 7,334

151.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,854

$0.44 Rp 7,756

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

-25.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

45.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

20.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

-7.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,839

$0.27 Rp 4,759

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

42.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,554

$0.53 Rp 9,394

-9.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,924

$0.20 Rp 3,602

125.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-1.30%

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

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

-1.85%

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

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

1.71%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

-3.37%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

96.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

-18.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

228.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

114.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

24.78%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$114 Rp 2.0M

324.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

240.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

-19.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

-7.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

$105 Rp 1.9M

-22.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$115 Rp 2.0M

-30.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

$177 Rp 3.1M

530.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.5M

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

689.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

$497 Rp 8.8M

611.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

$211 Rp 3.8M

734.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

146.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

$571 Rp 10.1M

301.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$214 Rp 3.8M

-20.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.25

48.97%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $177 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medan pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $9.00 in Medan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $182 per month, with Medan 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

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

Medan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 130% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Medan. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $177 in Medan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medan runs roughly 43% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $487 in Ubud, Bali versus $114 in Medan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $607 in Medan versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medan but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Medan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Medan 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 Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 130% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.