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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $640 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $988 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,336 in Medan.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 120% more expensive than in Medan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Medan is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

83.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$10.72 Rp 192.3K

201.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$3.28 Rp 58.9K

47.56%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

52.78%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.39 Rp 7,050

253.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.27 Rp 4,869

177.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$1.55 Rp 27.9K

92.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$5.24 Rp 94.1K

-26.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

47.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

108.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

40.96%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

58.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$9.39 Rp 168.5K

54.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$3.71 Rp 66.5K

17.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$6.83 Rp 122.5K

75.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$2.32 Rp 41.7K

60.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

63.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

79.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

154.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

156.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

79.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.45 Rp 8,160

135.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.49 Rp 8,802

46.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$2.48 Rp 44.5K

32.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$15.90 Rp 285.2K

45.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$1.36 Rp 24.4K

104.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$3.17 Rp 56.9K

-13.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.32 Rp 5,826

-15.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$9.59 Rp 172.0K

-15.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

-17.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$0.22 Rp 3,955

90.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$6.17 Rp 110.8K

0.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

-1.22%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$28.0K Rp 502.7M

-5.03%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$33.9K Rp 608.1M

-5.05%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$83.7 Rp 1.5M

-6.34%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$3.67 Rp 65.9K

10.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$34.25 Rp 614.4K

-28.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$23.20 Rp 416.2K

325.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$7.12 Rp 127.7K

-10.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$3.49 Rp 62.7K

14.33%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$123 Rp 2.2M

148.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$10.6K Rp 190.0M

-37.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$66.4 Rp 1.2M

-18.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$42.18 Rp 756.6K

-10.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$115 Rp 2.1M

-24.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

16.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$196 Rp 3.5M

406.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$100 Rp 1.8M

572.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$530 Rp 9.5M

536.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$232 Rp 4.2M

782.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$1,110 Rp 19.9M

152.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$550 Rp 9.9M

305.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$213 Rp 3.8M

-21.71%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $196 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medan pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $11.00 in Medan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $186 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 120% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 28% 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $196 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 18% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $123 in Medan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $640 in Medan versus $1,408 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 120% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.