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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $520 in Medea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $839 in Medea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,159 in Medea, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 168% more than Medea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% 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 64.5K

$2.02 DZD 267

76.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$23.27 DZD 3,077

38.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$4.05 DZD 536

23.70%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$0.37 DZD 49.52

662.16%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.43 DZD 56.3

213.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.22 DZD 28.87

231.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.98 DZD 261

47.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.42 DZD 320

62.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$0.99 DZD 131

79.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.09 DZD 11.97

2622.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.14 DZD 151

0.88%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.48 DZD 195

62.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$9.07 DZD 1,199

57.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$5.08 DZD 672

-17.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$16.72 DZD 2,211

-27.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$3.18 DZD 421

14.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$2.71 DZD 358

-42.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.71 DZD 226

63.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$0.57 DZD 75.0

292.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$0.60 DZD 80.0

230.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$0.47 DZD 61.5

385.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.73 DZD 96.9

43.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.30 DZD 39.76

163.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$2.14 DZD 283

49.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$6.99 DZD 925

236.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.31 DZD 173

121.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.06 DZD 272

33.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.25 DZD 33.06

8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$17.62 DZD 2,330

-52.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$0.65 DZD 86.5

-30.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.34 DZD 44.56

35.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$5.61 DZD 741

8.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.37 DZD 48.47

132.43%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$20.3K DZD 2.7M

30.76%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$33.6K DZD 4.4M

-3.18%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$19.08 DZD 2,522

314.15%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$7.99 DZD 1,056

-48.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$17.87 DZD 2,362

33.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$23.03 DZD 3,044

328.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$2.04 DZD 270

211.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$3.46 DZD 457

15.90%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$40.25 DZD 5,321

638.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$3,612 DZD 477.6K

82.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$20.00 DZD 2,644

167.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$31.60 DZD 4,178

20.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$31.90 DZD 4,218

177.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$55.7 DZD 7,370

37.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$197 DZD 26.0K

418.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$115 DZD 15.2K

491.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$279 DZD 36.9K

1143.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$184 DZD 24.4K

1033.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$1,117 DZD 147.7K

144.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$1,139 DZD 150.6K

101.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$328 DZD 43.4K

-50.13%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medea: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $197 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 101% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $23.00 in Medea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $200 – 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 168%, 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 $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $779 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $23.00 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 $1,392 in Ubud, Bali and $520 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 $520, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. 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.