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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $651 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $982 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,313 in Medan.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 118% more expensive than Medan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Medan is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

94.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$10.63 Rp 190.6K

207.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$3.22 Rp 57.7K

53.73%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

50.56%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.40 Rp 7,149

235.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.25 Rp 4,436

180.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

84.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$5.13 Rp 92.0K

-22.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

53.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

115.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

33.33%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

55.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$9.78 Rp 175.2K

50.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$3.88 Rp 69.6K

11.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$6.86 Rp 123.0K

76.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$2.29 Rp 41.1K

67.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

56.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$1.47 Rp 26.4K

92.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

147.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

158.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

70.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$0.46 Rp 8,194

119.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.46 Rp 8,232

69.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$2.48 Rp 44.4K

33.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$15.75 Rp 282.4K

50.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

106.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$3.17 Rp 56.8K

-9.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.30 Rp 5,338

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$9.86 Rp 176.8K

-18.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$0.52 Rp 9,380

-11.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$0.22 Rp 3,946

104.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$6.27 Rp 112.4K

-2.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

-3.66%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$28.1K Rp 503.3M

-6.86%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$33.8K Rp 606.6M

-5.09%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

-4.15%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$3.64 Rp 65.3K

11.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$33.53 Rp 601.1K

-29.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$23.40 Rp 419.4K

321.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$7.27 Rp 130.3K

-8.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$3.58 Rp 64.1K

15.92%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$126 Rp 2.3M

140.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$10.6K Rp 189.5M

-37.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$66.3 Rp 1.2M

-16.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$42.49 Rp 761.8K

-9.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$116 Rp 2.1M

-23.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

18.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$191 Rp 3.4M

425.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

584.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$544 Rp 9.8M

532.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$231 Rp 4.1M

784.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$1,176 Rp 21.1M

141.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$567 Rp 10.2M

299.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$215 Rp 3.9M

-23.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.25

43.57%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $191 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medan pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $11.00 in Medan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $187 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, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out. The 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medan earns 30% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $191 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 23% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $126 in Medan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $651 in Medan versus $1,419 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 118% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.