Cost of Living Comparison Between Uluwatu, Bali and Medan Cost of Living Comparison Between Uluwatu, Bali and Medan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,692 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $607 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,887 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $933 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,082 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $1,260 in Medan.

Living in Uluwatu, Bali is roughly 179% more expensive than in Medan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Uluwatu, Bali is 23% above, Medan is 56% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.21 Rp 74.8K

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

144.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.88 Rp 832.8K

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

437.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 Rp 121.8K

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

131.76%

Cappuccino

$3.25 Rp 57.7K

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

109.68%

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

$2.01 Rp 35.7K

$0.34 Rp 6,114

491.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.25 Rp 4,458

248.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 Rp 57.1K

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

85.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 Rp 88.8K

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

39.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.6K

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

49.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 Rp 42.6K

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

110.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 Rp 21.6K

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

46.99%

Eggs

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

66.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.63 Rp 330.9K

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

135.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.27 Rp 75.8K

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

20.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.94 Rp 229.8K

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

100.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.1K

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

58.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

54.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

66.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 Rp 36.8K

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

115.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.0K

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

119.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 Rp 44.8K

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

44.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.8K

$0.41 Rp 7,334

158.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 Rp 10.4K

$0.44 Rp 7,756

34.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

-18.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.68 Rp 438.4K

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

50.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 Rp 43.6K

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

28.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 Rp 53.5K

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

-0.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,667

$0.27 Rp 4,759

18.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.57 Rp 187.8K

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

74.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 Rp 10.9K

$0.53 Rp 9,394

15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 Rp 10.6K

$0.20 Rp 3,602

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 Rp 45.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

33.77%

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

$30.9K Rp 548.7M

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

23.81%

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

$39.7K Rp 706.2M

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

25.87%

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

$90.1 Rp 1.6M

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

4.19%

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

$7.01 Rp 124.5K

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

113.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.74 Rp 368.5K

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

-11.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 Rp 1.1M

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

274.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.78 Rp 387.0K

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

150.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 Rp 92.9K

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

52.48%

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

$553 Rp 9.8M

$114 Rp 2.0M

383.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,619 Rp 117.6M

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

284.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 Rp 904.0K

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

-9.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.71 Rp 705.4K

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

1.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 Rp 1.6M

$105 Rp 1.9M

-14.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

$115 Rp 2.0M

-24.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,546 Rp 27.5M

$177 Rp 3.1M

772.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$925 Rp 16.4M

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

941.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,743 Rp 84.3M

$497 Rp 8.8M

854.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,298 Rp 40.8M

$211 Rp 3.8M

987.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,748 Rp 66.6M

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

226.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,055 Rp 54.3M

$571 Rp 10.1M

434.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$214 Rp 3.8M

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,546 in Uluwatu, Bali and $177 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Uluwatu, Bali vs $9.00 in Medan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $182 per month, with Medan 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

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

Medan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 179% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,538 in Uluwatu, Bali and $911 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: $1,546 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $177 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 74% less than in Uluwatu, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $553 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $114 in Medan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $607 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 179% less than in Uluwatu, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.