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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $473 in Medea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $811 in Medea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,150 in Medea, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 189% more than Medea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Medea is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$1.95 DZD 260

76.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

$29.14 DZD 3,886

24.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

$3.90 DZD 520

46.41%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$0.35 DZD 46.06

662.86%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$0.45 DZD 60.2

288.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.21 DZD 28.09

314.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$2.32 DZD 310

27.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$2.33 DZD 311

93.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.87 DZD 116

86.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$0.07 DZD 9.91

3228.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$1.19 DZD 159

-6.72%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$1.38 DZD 184

59.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

$8.30 DZD 1,107

113.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$4.11 DZD 549

-0.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

$15.00 DZD 2,000

-18.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$2.19 DZD 291

69.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$2.83 DZD 377

-43.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$1.15 DZD 154

98.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$0.57 DZD 76.0

242.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$0.60 DZD 79.7

218.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$0.51 DZD 68.4

356.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.82 DZD 110

23.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,795

$0.26 DZD 34.51

111.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$2.15 DZD 287

3.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

$6.80 DZD 907

239.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.31 DZD 174

84.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$1.98 DZD 265

51.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

$0.18 DZD 24.12

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

$6.48 DZD 865

38.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,586

$0.61 DZD 81.0

-21.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,697

$0.45 DZD 60.0

-4.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$5.89 DZD 785

-4.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$0.37 DZD 48.78

116.22%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

$19.9K DZD 2.7M

25.17%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

$36.1K DZD 4.8M

-12.22%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$18.96 DZD 2,528

329.64%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$7.79 DZD 1,039

-16.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

$12.61 DZD 1,681

48.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$20.68 DZD 2,758

175.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

$1.99 DZD 265

841.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$3.57 DZD 476

27.17%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$40.39 DZD 5,386

1090.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

$6,587 DZD 878.5K

-13.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

$19.61 DZD 2,616

132.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

$31.60 DZD 4,214

13.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$32.46 DZD 4,329

147.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$57.1 DZD 7,612

37.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$159 DZD 21.2K

602.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$108 DZD 14.4K

546.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$286 DZD 38.2K

1170.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$205 DZD 27.4K

747.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$1,282 DZD 171.0K

117.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$406 DZD 54.1K

464.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$321 DZD 42.8K

-47.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

175.60%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medea: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $159 in Medea. 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 91% higher in Medea, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $29.00 in Medea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $179 – making Medea the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Medea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 189%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $709 in Medea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medea, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $29.00 in Medea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $473 in Medea. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medea, where all-in costs run around $473, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In Medea it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medea – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Medea. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.