😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $489 in Meru.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $812 in Meru.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,136 in Meru.
😐Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 194% more expensive than Meru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Meru is 63% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Meru
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.57Rp 61.9K
$5.34KES 689
-33.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.58Rp 564.7K
$39.12KES 5,049
-16.72%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.07Rp 87.8K
$6.79KES 876
-25.33%
Cappuccino
$2.83Rp 49.0K
$2.40KES 309
17.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34Rp 23.2K
$0.76KES 98.2
76.32%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69Rp 12.0K
$0.53KES 68.8
30.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.99Rp 51.8K
$2.37KES 306
26.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85Rp 66.7K
$2.82KES 364
36.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Meru
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.74Rp 30.2K
$0.87KES 113
100.00%
White Bread(500g)
$2.54Rp 44.0K
$0.40KES 51.9
535.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.19Rp 20.6K
$1.06KES 137
12.26%
Eggs
$2.43Rp 42.0K
$1.41KES 182
72.34%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.66Rp 254.1K
$11.51KES 1,486
27.37%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.18Rp 72.4K
$6.60KES 852
-36.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.94Rp 206.9K
$4.98KES 643
139.76%
Apples(1kg)
$3.69Rp 63.9K
$3.02KES 389
22.19%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61Rp 27.8K
$0.80KES 103
101.25%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.69Rp 46.5K
$0.80KES 103
236.25%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.33Rp 40.4K
$0.79KES 103
194.94%
Potato(1kg)
$1.91Rp 33.0K
$1.03KES 133
85.44%
Onion(1kg)
$2.19Rp 37.9K
$0.99KES 128
121.21%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06Rp 18.3K
$0.24KES 31.06
341.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72Rp 12.5K
$0.44KES 57.3
63.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.13Rp 54.3K
$3.14KES 405
-0.32%
Wine(Bottle)
$23.49Rp 407.1K
$11.51KES 1,485
104.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.74Rp 47.5K
$2.22KES 286
23.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88Rp 49.9K
$2.81KES 363
2.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Meru
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.29Rp 5,029
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.17Rp 141.6K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.45Rp 7,863
$1.53KES 198
-70.59%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.42Rp 7,305
$1.49KES 193
-71.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.16Rp 106.7K
$2.84KES 367
116.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.84Rp 14.6K
$1.07KES 138
-21.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.2KRp 454.9M
$21.3KKES 2.8M
22.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5KRp 562.9M
$19.7KKES 2.5M
65.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Meru
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$78.4Rp 1.4M
$34.22KES 4,417
129.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.95Rp 68.5K
$16.94KES 2,187
-76.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.40Rp 423.0K
$38.87KES 5,017
-37.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Meru
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$96.5Rp 1.7M
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.35Rp 110.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.04Rp 70.0K
$6.06KES 782
-33.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Meru
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$303Rp 5.2M
$203KES 26.1K
49.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,523Rp 113.1M
$8,181KES 1.1M
-20.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Meru
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8Rp 933.1K
$18.30KES 2,362
194.21%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.98Rp 658.3K
$24.23KES 3,127
56.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$86.8Rp 1.5M
$66.2KES 8,550
30.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9Rp 1.4M
$56.1KES 7,243
40.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Meru
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,012Rp 17.5M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$674Rp 11.7M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,390Rp 58.8M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,098Rp 36.4M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,985Rp 51.7M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,339Rp 40.5M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Meru
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$173Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.28
14.84
-10.51%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026
Última actualización para Meru: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $39.00 in Meru. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $183, with Meru cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Ubud, Bali vs Meru: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Meru?
Meru wins on cost – living expenses run 194% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Meru the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ubud, Bali vs Meru?
You'd need roughly $2,158 in Ubud, Bali and $733 in Meru 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 childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and Meru?
Childcare runs $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $203 in Meru. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Ubud, Bali vs Meru?
Dining out is cheaper in Meru – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or Meru?
At $489 in Meru versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Meru but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Meru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Meru?
Both work as nomad bases, but Meru delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $489 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Meru hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Meru?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Meru are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Meru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 194% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Ubud, Bali vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado