Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Uluwatu, Bali and Medan

For one person, living is cheaper in Medan: $613 a month against $1,692 in Uluwatu, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

82

Cost of Living Index in Uluwatu, Bali
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Uluwatu, Bali Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Medan
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Medan Living Index

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Uluwatu, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Medan

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$613

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Uluwatu, Bali and in Medan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Uluwatu, Bali and in Medan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,692 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $613 in Medan.

Uluwatu, Bali $1,692
Medan $613

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,873 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $940 in Medan.

Uluwatu, Bali $2,873
Medan $940

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,054 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $1,266 in Medan.

Uluwatu, Bali $4,054
Medan $1,266

Living in Uluwatu, Bali is roughly 176% more expensive than in Medan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Uluwatu, Bali is 25% above, Medan is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 Rp 70.9K

$1.71 Rp 30.8K

130.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.05 Rp 757.0K

$8.30 Rp 149.4K

406.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 Rp 120.9K

$2.95 Rp 53.0K

127.80%

Cappuccino

$3.25 Rp 58.5K

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

112.42%

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

$2.09 Rp 37.5K

$0.35 Rp 6,215

497.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

$0.25 Rp 4,534

276.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 Rp 56.6K

$1.66 Rp 29.9K

89.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 Rp 97.9K

$3.59 Rp 64.6K

51.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 Rp 29.6K

$1.11 Rp 20.0K

47.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 Rp 42.9K

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

101.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.2K

$0.81 Rp 14.7K

59.26%

Eggs

$2.27 Rp 40.9K

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

71.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.59 Rp 334.5K

$8.12 Rp 146.2K

128.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 75.2K

$3.59 Rp 64.6K

16.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 Rp 232.5K

$6.36 Rp 114.5K

103.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.9K

$2.40 Rp 43.1K

55.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 Rp 29.8K

$1.05 Rp 18.9K

58.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 Rp 44.6K

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

74.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 Rp 36.3K

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

117.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 35.0K

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

130.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 Rp 45.5K

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

40.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.7K

$0.38 Rp 6,905

173.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 9,237

$0.44 Rp 7,872

15.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 Rp 42.6K

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

-17.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.90 Rp 430.2K

$15.72 Rp 282.9K

52.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 Rp 44.7K

$1.83 Rp 32.9K

35.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 Rp 56.7K

$3.01 Rp 54.1K

4.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,310

$0.27 Rp 4,816

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.28 Rp 185.1K

$5.93 Rp 106.7K

73.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

$0.51 Rp 9,186

17.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 Rp 9,437

$0.19 Rp 3,465

173.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 Rp 48.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 Rp 19.9K

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

37.50%

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

$29.9K Rp 538.1M

$24.7K Rp 444.1M

21.18%

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

$39.6K Rp 712.6M

$32.2K Rp 579.9M

22.90%

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

$89.3 Rp 1.6M

$84.8 Rp 1.5M

5.20%

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

$7.09 Rp 127.7K

$3.17 Rp 57.0K

123.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.79 Rp 374.2K

$23.57 Rp 424.3K

-11.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 Rp 1.1M

$16.95 Rp 305.0K

275.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.80 Rp 374.5K

$8.41 Rp 151.5K

147.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 Rp 90.1K

$3.29 Rp 59.3K

52.28%

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

$560 Rp 10.1M

$112 Rp 2.0M

401.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,562 Rp 118.1M

$1,692 Rp 30.5M

287.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.97 Rp 899.5K

$54.2 Rp 975.9K

-7.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.06 Rp 685.1K

$38.53 Rp 693.6K

-1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

$108 Rp 1.9M

-18.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 Rp 1.6M

$111 Rp 2.0M

-21.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 Rp 27.3M

$233 Rp 4.2M

551.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$933 Rp 16.8M

$89.8 Rp 1.6M

939.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,875 Rp 87.7M

$494 Rp 8.9M

886.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,323 Rp 41.8M

$212 Rp 3.8M

997.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,738 Rp 67.3M

$1,158 Rp 20.8M

222.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,108 Rp 55.9M

$560 Rp 10.1M

455.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 Rp 3.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.25

48.97%

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

Last update for Uluwatu, Bali: October 12, 2026

Last update for Medan: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Uluwatu, Bali

$933 55.1%

Medan

$90 14.6% 90.4% $843

Groceries & Markets

Uluwatu, Bali

$306 18.1%

Medan

$181 29.5% 40.9% $125

Eating Out

Uluwatu, Bali

$129 7.6%

Medan

$59 9.6% 54.6% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Uluwatu, Bali

$119 7%

Medan

$140 22.9% 18.1% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Uluwatu, Bali

$117 6.9%

Medan

$112 18.2% 4.7% $5.6

Sport & Entertainment

Uluwatu, Bali

$74 4.4%

Medan

$24 3.8% 68% $50

Getting Around

Uluwatu, Bali

$15 0.9%

Medan

$8.5 1.4% 42.3% $6.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,518 in Uluwatu, Bali and $233 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Uluwatu, Bali vs $8.00 in Medan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $306 vs $181 per month, with Medan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Uluwatu, Bali

🇮🇩 Medan

🕒 Local time

16:50 4:50 PM

15:50 3:50 PM

1 h behind Uluwatu, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,000

2,097,610

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Uluwatu, Bali Medan 2,280 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Uluwatu, Bali
Medan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Uluwatu, Bali vs Medan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medan is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 176% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,538 in Uluwatu, Bali and $920 in Medan 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,518 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $233 in Medan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medan runs roughly 73% less than in Uluwatu, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $560 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $112 in Medan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $613 in Medan versus $1,692 in Uluwatu, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medan but tight or insufficient in Uluwatu, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Medan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Uluwatu, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Uluwatu, Bali and Medan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 176% less than in Uluwatu, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.