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 $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $513 in Medea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $839 in Medea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,165 in Medea, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 180% more than Medea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Medea is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$2.06 DZD 272

73.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$24.00 DZD 3,180

35.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$3.98 DZD 527

27.39%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$0.35 DZD 45.74

708.57%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.46 DZD 60.7

191.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.21 DZD 28.14

228.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.90 DZD 252

57.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.40 DZD 318

60.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.05 DZD 139

65.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.07 DZD 9.06

3528.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.13 DZD 149

5.31%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.53 DZD 202

58.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$8.97 DZD 1,189

63.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$4.88 DZD 646

-14.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$16.27 DZD 2,156

-26.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$3.23 DZD 428

14.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$2.71 DZD 359

-40.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.78 DZD 236

51.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$0.56 DZD 74.7

316.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.64 DZD 84.8

198.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.49 DZD 64.9

346.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.68 DZD 90.7

55.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.30 DZD 40.26

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$2.17 DZD 287

44.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$7.11 DZD 942

230.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.29 DZD 171

112.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.11 DZD 279

36.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.25 DZD 33.24

16.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$17.54 DZD 2,324

-53.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.66 DZD 87.7

-31.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.33 DZD 44.07

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$5.48 DZD 726

12.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$0.37 DZD 48.64

127.03%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$20.2K DZD 2.7M

29.77%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$33.7K DZD 4.5M

-3.75%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$18.72 DZD 2,481

318.91%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$7.87 DZD 1,043

-49.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$17.97 DZD 2,381

35.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$23.42 DZD 3,103

312.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$1.98 DZD 262

220.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$3.56 DZD 472

13.48%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$39.87 DZD 5,283

659.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$3,649 DZD 483.5K

78.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$19.83 DZD 2,628

171.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$32.65 DZD 4,326

16.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$32.64 DZD 4,324

165.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$56.7 DZD 7,506

39.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$196 DZD 26.0K

416.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$114 DZD 15.1K

490.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$276 DZD 36.6K

1127.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$182 DZD 24.1K

1054.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$760 DZD 100.7K

292.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$408 DZD 54.0K

473.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$326 DZD 43.2K

-46.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

165.60%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Medea: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $196 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 88% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $24.00 in Medea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $198 – 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 180%, 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 $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $770 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $24.00 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 $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $513 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 $513, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. 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.