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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 37% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-43.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-0.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-34.06%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.72 COP 5,599

59.88%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.05 COP 3,420

31.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.77 COP 2,515

-2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.69 COP 5,487

76.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$3.17 COP 10.3K

21.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.05 COP 3,423

65.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.30 COP 4,236

89.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.40 COP 4,544

-16.43%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.16 COP 7,046

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

230.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-26.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

38.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.28 COP 7,425

63.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.11 COP 3,603

46.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.53 COP 4,982

79.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.35 COP 4,410

65.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.13 COP 3,674

69.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.13 COP 3,692

101.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.85 COP 2,753

24.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.91 COP 2,975

-20.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$2.34 COP 7,629

40.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

87.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.20 COP 3,909

131.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.49 COP 8,104

9.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.84 COP 2,727

-67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-80.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.42 COP 4,623

-66.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$1.92 COP 6,235

-78.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-18.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.99 COP 3,223

-18.18%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

47.60%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

20.89%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-3.04%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-59.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

0.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$25.08 COP 81.6K

293.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-66.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

0.25%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$305 COP 993.4K

-0.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

9.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-6.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

17.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$101 COP 327.9K

-13.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$108 COP 350.8K

-29.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$477 COP 1.6M

108.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$376 COP 1.2M

78.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$845 COP 2.7M

299.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$730 COP 2.4M

180.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-12.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

62.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$617 COP 2.0M

-72.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

13.43

-1.12%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $477 in Medellin. 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 269% higher in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 37%, 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 $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. 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.