Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Merrillville, IN Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Merrillville, IN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,397 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,540 in Merrillville, IN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,588 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,686 in Merrillville, IN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,778 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,832 in Merrillville, IN.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 45% less than in Merrillville, IN, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Merrillville, IN 90% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Merrillville, IN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.43 Rp 61.4K
$18.67 $18.67
-81.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.97 Rp 572.4K
$65.7 $65.7
-51.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.05 Rp 90.4K
$10.06 $10.06
-49.80%
Cappuccino
$2.71 Rp 48.6K
$5.02 $5.02
-46.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 Rp 24.9K
$3.08 $3.08
-54.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 Rp 13.3K
$2.21 $2.21
-66.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.89 Rp 51.8K
$4.95 $4.95
-41.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 Rp 67.9K
$7.08 $7.08
-46.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Merrillville, IN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.79 Rp 32.1K
$0.81 $0.81
120.99%
White Bread (500g)
$2.51 Rp 44.9K
$3.38 $3.38
-25.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.21 Rp 21.7K
$4.51 $4.51
-73.17%
Eggs
$2.37 Rp 42.4K
$4.16 $4.16
-43.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.43 Rp 258.4K
$10.14 $10.14
42.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.15 Rp 74.3K
$12.37 $12.37
-66.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.11 Rp 216.9K
$15.02 $15.02
-19.37%
Apples (1kg)
$3.77 Rp 67.5K
$5.55 $5.55
-32.07%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 Rp 29.1K
$1.17 $1.17
39.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.71 Rp 48.5K
$4.67 $4.67
-41.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 Rp 40.4K
$4.77 $4.77
-52.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 Rp 34.5K
$2.09 $2.09
-7.66%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 Rp 39.3K
$2.12 $2.12
3.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 Rp 18.2K
$1.91 $1.91
-46.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 Rp 12.8K
$2.59 $2.59
-72.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.18 Rp 57.0K
$10.47 $10.47
-69.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.84 Rp 426.8K
$11.76 $11.76
102.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.77 Rp 49.7K
$1.88 $1.88
47.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 Rp 49.3K
$3.47 $3.47
-20.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Merrillville, IN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,786
$2.05 $2.05
-86.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.20 Rp 146.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,653
$2.78 $2.78
-82.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,545
$2.20 $2.20
-80.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.03 Rp 107.9K
$20.67 $20.67
-70.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 Rp 14.7K
$0.81 $0.81
1.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K Rp 475.6M
$30.3K $30.3K
-12.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K Rp 576.6M
$25.9K $25.9K
24.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Merrillville, IN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.3 Rp 1.4M
$184 $184
-57.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.91 Rp 70.1K
$47.56 $47.56
-91.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.91 Rp 428.2K
$62.7 $62.7
-61.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Merrillville, IN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$96.2 Rp 1.7M
$42.18 $42.18
128.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.53 Rp 116.8K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.01 Rp 71.9K
$14.79 $14.79
-72.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Merrillville, IN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$303 Rp 5.4M
$1,787 $1,787
-83.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,551 Rp 117.3M
$24.2K $24.2K
-72.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Merrillville, IN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.3 Rp 990.4K
$43.75 $43.75
26.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.32 Rp 686.1K
$45.01 $45.01
-14.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.5 Rp 1.6M
$79.6 $79.6
11.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.7 Rp 1.4M
$104 $104
-25.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Merrillville, IN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$986 Rp 17.6M
$1,613 $1,613
-38.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$682 Rp 12.2M
$1,334 $1,334
-48.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,420 Rp 61.2M
$2,635 $2,635
29.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,075 Rp 37.1M
$2,210 $2,210
-6.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,762 Rp 49.5M
$2,884 $2,884
-4.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,243 Rp 40.2M
$2,416 $2,416
-7.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Merrillville, IN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$169 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
6.55
102.75%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 22, 2026

Last update for Merrillville, IN: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $1,613 in Merrillville, IN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $66.0 in Merrillville, IN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $380 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

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 Merrillville, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and in Merrillville, IN?
Ubud, Bali and Merrillville, IN differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($1,397 vs $2,540 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Ubud, Bali compared to Merrillville, IN?
You'd need roughly $2,096 in Ubud, Bali and $3,810 in Merrillville, IN to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Merrillville, IN?
Rent for a central apartment: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,613 in Merrillville, IN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Merrillville, IN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ubud, Bali or Merrillville, IN?
All in, you'll spend $1,397 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $2,540 in Merrillville, IN – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,397 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,540 in Merrillville, IN, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Merrillville, IN. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Merrillville, IN?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Ubud, Bali or Merrillville, IN safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Merrillville, IN are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Ubud, Bali or Merrillville, IN?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Merrillville, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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