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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,475 in Messina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,307 in Messina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,138 in Messina, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 5% cheaper than Messina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Messina sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 4%, Messina by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$13.69 €11.80

-73.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$57.1 €49.23

-43.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$11.48 €9.89

-57.67%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.01 €1.73

36.82%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$2.28 €1.96

-42.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$1.21 €1.04

-42.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$3.56 €3.07

-18.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.44 €2.96

10.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.34 €1.15

27.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$2.13 €1.84

15.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$2.69 €2.32

-55.39%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$3.40 €2.93

-28.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$9.45 €8.14

52.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$10.18 €8.77

-57.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$17.33 €14.93

-29.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.76 €2.38

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.77 €1.52

-12.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.15 €0.99

142.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$3.13 €2.70

-25.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$0.66 €0.57

198.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.24 €1.07

86.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.19 €1.03

-10.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.41 €0.35

78.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$6.64 €5.72

-50.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$5.86 €5.05

288.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.56 €1.34

80.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.37 €2.04

17.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$1.77 €1.53

-83.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$43.50 €37.48

-81.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$4.77 €4.11

-90.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.44 €1.24

-68.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$45.46 €39.17

-86.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$2.06 €1.77

-58.74%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$34.9K €30.1K

-25.55%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$28.9K €24.9K

9.56%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$192 €166

-58.03%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$14.69 €12.66

-72.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$26.53 €22.86

-7.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$50.4 €43.46

93.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$17.67 €15.23

-63.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$10.07 €8.68

-59.88%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$349 €301

-12.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$10.7K €9,188

-37.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$87.9 €75.7

-38.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$31.92 €27.50

21.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$91.8 €79.1

-6.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$129 €111

-40.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$635 €547

55.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$466 €402

41.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$1,005 €866

235.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$881 €759

134.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$2,259 €1,946

21.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$1,778 €1,532

25.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$1,838 €1,583

-91.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.72

181.36%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Messina: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $635 in Messina. 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 1024% higher in Messina, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $57.0 in Messina. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $273 in Messina – so Messina 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 Messina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Messina costs about 5% more than Ubud, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,212 in Messina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $349 in Messina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Messina – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,404, than in Messina at $1,475. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Messina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,404 versus $1,475 in Messina. 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 Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Messina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.