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 $1,374 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,414 in Messina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,313 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,407 in Messina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,252 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,399 in Messina, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 3% cheaper than Messina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Messina sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 2%, Messina by 5%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$15.58 €13.74

-78.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.33 Rp 635.6K

$68.6 €60.5

-48.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 Rp 95.9K

$12.66 €11.16

-57.90%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.5K

$1.96 €1.73

40.31%

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

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

$2.34 €2.07

-26.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.23 €1.09

-34.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 53.0K

$4.44 €3.91

-33.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 Rp 79.9K

$3.38 €2.98

31.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

$1.28 €1.13

17.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

$1.81 €1.59

27.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

$2.81 €2.48

-60.85%

Eggs

$2.16 Rp 38.9K

$2.95 €2.60

-26.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 Rp 307.4K

$15.02 €13.24

13.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.8K

$10.53 €9.28

-63.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 Rp 214.4K

$17.19 €15.15

-30.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 Rp 64.1K

$3.04 €2.68

17.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

$1.68 €1.48

-5.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 42.5K

$1.17 €1.03

101.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.4K

$3.40 €3.00

-42.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.5K

$0.71 €0.62

154.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 43.0K

$1.48 €1.31

61.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$1.38 €1.22

-26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,841

$0.41 €0.36

19.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.4K

$6.85 €6.04

-67.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.30 Rp 401.2K

$5.63 €4.97

296.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 Rp 42.6K

$1.69 €1.49

40.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.1K

$2.36 €2.08

22.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,482

$1.67 €1.47

-85.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.55 Rp 153.9K

$43.27 €38.14

-80.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,950

$5.65 €4.98

-92.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,598

$1.16 €1.03

-63.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 Rp 101.9K

$38.90 €34.29

-85.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.7K

$2.05 €1.81

-60.49%

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

$23.7K Rp 427.1M

$35.9K €31.7K

-33.90%

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

$31.0K Rp 557.4M

$32.3K €28.5K

-4.11%

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

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$175 €154

-52.97%

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

$6.30 Rp 113.3K

$10.03 €8.84

-37.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.63 Rp 335.3K

$25.74 €22.69

-27.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 Rp 984.7K

$47.36 €41.75

15.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 Rp 331.9K

$17.37 €15.31

6.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 76.3K

$9.18 €8.09

-53.81%

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

$484 Rp 8.7M

$341 €300

42.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,590 Rp 100.6M

$5,750 €5,068

-2.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.77 Rp 823.5K

$71.5 €63.0

-35.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 Rp 642.2K

$31.56 €27.82

13.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$87.6 €77.3

-10.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

$126 €111

-36.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 Rp 20.6M

$546 €481

109.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 Rp 12.2M

$387 €341

75.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 Rp 63.0M

$1,251 €1,103

180.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 Rp 30.4M

$1,105 €974

52.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 Rp 50.2M

$2,104 €1,855

32.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,257 Rp 40.6M

$1,672 €1,474

34.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,687 €1,487

-90.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

3.39

306.49%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 28, 2026

Last update for Messina: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,147 in Ubud, Bali versus $546 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 922% 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 $35.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $69.0 in Messina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $290 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 3% 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 $2,062 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,121 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 $484 per month in Ubud, Bali and $341 in Messina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Messina, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,374, than in Messina at $1,414. 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 $1,374 versus $1,414 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.