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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $728 in Merida, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,239 in Merida, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,750 in Merida, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 93% more than Merida, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Merida is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$9.91 VES 7,285

-65.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$44.60 VES 32.8K

-27.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$9.82 VES 7,217

-50.71%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$1.57 VES 1,155

75.16%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$1.15 VES 844

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.81 VES 597

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$1.14 VES 837

162.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$1.48 VES 1,089

160.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$2.11 VES 1,549

-17.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.42 VES 1,777

1.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.65 VES 1,215

-29.09%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$2.10 VES 1,547

15.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$5.51 VES 4,054

163.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$6.44 VES 4,737

-32.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$7.35 VES 5,405

62.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$4.95 VES 3,642

-24.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.07 VES 785

52.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$1.72 VES 1,262

59.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$1.04 VES 765

115.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$0.91 VES 667

110.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$1.19 VES 871

91.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.27 VES 935

-16.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$1.81 VES 1,331

-60.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$4.10 VES 3,016

-19.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$10.94 VES 8,044

111.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$1.17 VES 861

137.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$1.37 VES 1,007

99.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.27 VES 197

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$3.93 VES 2,888

-87.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$2.45 VES 1,800

-82.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.48 VES 353

68.75%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$45.4K VES 33.4M

-41.39%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$37.5K VES 27.6M

-14.15%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$13.23 VES 9,726

492.21%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$10.11 VES 7,428

-59.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$37.46 VES 27.5K

-35.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$25.06 VES 18.4K

293.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$14.86 VES 10.9K

-57.34%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$7.19 VES 5,285

-44.51%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$57.7 VES 42.4K

429.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$89.4 VES 65.7K

-39.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$39.33 VES 28.9K

-3.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$85.8 VES 63.0K

1.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$63.9 VES 47.0K

19.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$115 VES 84.3K

764.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$89.0 VES 65.4K

655.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$209 VES 153.3K

1518.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$191 VES 140.5K

972.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$1,171 VES 861.1K

139.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$1,223 VES 898.7K

82.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$290 VES 213.2K

-42.43%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Merida: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $115 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 74% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $45.00 in Merida. Groceries tell a different story – $297 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 93% 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 $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,092 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 $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $728 in Merida. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Ubud, Bali and $57.7 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 $728, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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 $728 versus $1,408 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.