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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $526 in Medea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $841 in Medea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,156 in Medea, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 167% more than Medea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Medea is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$2.02 DZD 267

76.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$24.08 DZD 3,192

34.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$4.05 DZD 537

20.00%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$0.35 DZD 46.13

685.71%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.45 DZD 59.8

193.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.20 DZD 26.07

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.00 DZD 266

45.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.43 DZD 322

55.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.00 DZD 133

71.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.07 DZD 9.70

3428.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.17 DZD 156

2.56%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.47 DZD 194

65.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$8.76 DZD 1,161

64.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$5.06 DZD 670

-14.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$16.77 DZD 2,222

-27.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$3.21 DZD 426

14.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$2.87 DZD 380

-45.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.77 DZD 235

57.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$0.61 DZD 81.2

281.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$0.64 DZD 84.5

207.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$0.49 DZD 65.2

371.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.73 DZD 96.3

45.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.28 DZD 36.73

160.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$2.13 DZD 282

53.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$6.90 DZD 914

230.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.34 DZD 177

109.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.18 DZD 289

27.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.25 DZD 33.40

16.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$17.49 DZD 2,318

-53.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.70 DZD 93.1

-35.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.37 DZD 48.48

21.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$5.61 DZD 744

11.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$0.33 DZD 44.16

157.58%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$20.0K DZD 2.7M

29.80%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$34.2K DZD 4.5M

-7.41%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$18.80 DZD 2,492

329.52%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$8.22 DZD 1,089

-50.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$17.67 DZD 2,343

38.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$23.44 DZD 3,107

316.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$2.02 DZD 268

219.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$3.57 DZD 473

13.17%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$39.71 DZD 5,264

665.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$3,648 DZD 483.5K

81.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$20.42 DZD 2,707

165.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$31.56 DZD 4,183

22.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$31.47 DZD 4,171

173.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$55.8 DZD 7,396

37.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$195 DZD 25.8K

405.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$117 DZD 15.5K

462.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$271 DZD 35.9K

1144.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$183 DZD 24.2K

1030.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$1,115 DZD 147.8K

145.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$1,135 DZD 150.4K

96.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$332 DZD 44.0K

-50.73%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medea: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $195 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 103% 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: $297 vs $201 – 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 167%, 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 $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $788 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 $1,404 in Ubud, Bali and $526 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 $526, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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.