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: $1,759 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $640 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,176 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $988 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,593 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $1,336 in Medan.

Living in Uluwatu, Bali is roughly 175% more expensive than in Medan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Uluwatu, Bali is 32% above, Medan is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.27 Rp 76.3K

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

127.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.90 Rp 713.9K

$10.72 Rp 191.8K

272.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.16 Rp 110.1K

$3.28 Rp 58.7K

87.80%

Cappuccino

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

82.78%

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

$1.62 Rp 29.0K

$0.39 Rp 7,031

315.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 Rp 15.8K

$0.27 Rp 4,855

229.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 Rp 63.2K

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

127.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 Rp 85.1K

$5.24 Rp 93.8K

-9.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

58.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

122.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

53.01%

Eggs

$2.57 Rp 45.9K

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

67.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.13 Rp 270.6K

$9.39 Rp 168.1K

61.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.37 Rp 78.2K

$3.71 Rp 66.4K

17.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 Rp 222.3K

$6.83 Rp 122.2K

81.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

70.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

63.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 Rp 51.9K

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

89.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 42.0K

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

167.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

166.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 41.2K

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

81.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

$0.45 Rp 8,138

140.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

$0.49 Rp 8,778

65.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$2.48 Rp 44.3K

32.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.45 Rp 437.4K

$15.90 Rp 284.5K

53.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 Rp 51.8K

$1.36 Rp 24.3K

112.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.3K

$3.17 Rp 56.7K

-9.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 Rp 6,489

$0.32 Rp 5,810

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.28 Rp 184.0K

$9.59 Rp 171.5K

7.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

-1.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

$0.22 Rp 3,944

159.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.63 Rp 136.4K

$6.17 Rp 110.5K

23.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 Rp 18.9K

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

29.27%

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

$32.2K Rp 575.4M

$28.0K Rp 501.3M

14.78%

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

$40.3K Rp 720.3M

$33.9K Rp 606.5M

18.77%

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

$88.2 Rp 1.6M

$83.7 Rp 1.5M

5.49%

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

$4.47 Rp 80.0K

$3.67 Rp 65.7K

21.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.05 Rp 466.1K

$34.25 Rp 612.7K

-23.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$115 Rp 2.1M

$23.20 Rp 415.1K

396.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.75 Rp 138.7K

$7.12 Rp 127.4K

8.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 Rp 84.1K

$3.49 Rp 62.5K

34.67%

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

$339 Rp 6.1M

$123 Rp 2.2M

176.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,595 Rp 135.9M

$10.6K Rp 189.5M

-28.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 Rp 1.1M

$66.4 Rp 1.2M

-8.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.63 Rp 762.7K

$42.18 Rp 754.5K

1.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 Rp 1.8M

$115 Rp 2.1M

-15.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

31.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 Rp 24.5M

$196 Rp 3.5M

598.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 Rp 16.5M

$100 Rp 1.8M

819.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,495 Rp 80.4M

$530 Rp 9.5M

747.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,803 Rp 50.2M

$232 Rp 4.2M

1106.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,751 Rp 67.1M

$1,110 Rp 19.8M

238.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,040 Rp 54.4M

$550 Rp 9.8M

452.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 Rp 3.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.25

43.57%

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

Last update for Uluwatu, Bali: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,369 in Uluwatu, Bali and $196 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Uluwatu, Bali vs $11.00 in Medan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $186 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, Getting Around. The 175% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,638 in Uluwatu, Bali and $961 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: $1,369 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $196 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 7% less than in Uluwatu, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $339 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $123 in Medan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $640 in Medan versus $1,759 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 175% less than in Uluwatu, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.