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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $723 in Merida, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,220 in Merida, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,717 in Merida, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 96% more than Merida, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Merida is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$10.17 VES 5,686

-65.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$45.85 VES 25.6K

-28.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$10.13 VES 5,664

-51.14%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$1.56 VES 871

73.72%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$1.14 VES 635

17.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.83 VES 462

-15.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$1.17 VES 655

149.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$1.49 VES 832

165.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$2.13 VES 1,192

-15.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$2.52 VES 1,410

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.60 VES 894

-27.50%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.03 VES 1,135

21.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$5.59 VES 3,122

163.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$6.29 VES 3,517

-31.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$7.28 VES 4,070

66.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$4.94 VES 2,761

-22.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.07 VES 597

45.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$1.66 VES 925

70.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.04 VES 581

124.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$0.98 VES 548

94.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.18 VES 661

86.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.24 VES 695

-18.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$1.81 VES 1,011

-56.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$4.11 VES 2,295

-19.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$10.96 VES 6,126

116.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.18 VES 658

136.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$1.38 VES 774

107.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.29 VES 162

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$4.05 VES 2,266

-88.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$2.47 VES 1,383

-81.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.51 VES 286

54.90%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$44.3K VES 24.7M

-40.91%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$37.2K VES 20.8M

-13.76%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$13.38 VES 7,477

497.46%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$9.94 VES 5,555

-59.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$36.89 VES 20.6K

-36.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$25.15 VES 14.1K

292.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$15.07 VES 8,425

-56.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$6.96 VES 3,888

-40.37%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$58.1 VES 32.5K

422.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$90.5 VES 50.6K

-38.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$39.48 VES 22.1K

-2.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$85.0 VES 47.5K

4.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$65.0 VES 36.3K

19.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$118 VES 66.1K

750.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$89.2 VES 49.9K

656.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$208 VES 116.2K

1555.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$192 VES 107.2K

963.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$1,155 VES 645.5K

146.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$1,189 VES 664.7K

90.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$286 VES 159.7K

-42.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Merida: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $118 in Merida. 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 73% higher in Merida, 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 $46.00 in Merida. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Ubud, Bali vs $237 in Merida – so Merida 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 Merida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 96% more than Merida, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,084 in Merida. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $723 in Merida. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $58.1 in Merida. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Merida, where all-in costs run around $723, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Merida it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Merida costs $723 versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Merida. 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.