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: $1,700 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $651 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,132 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $982 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,565 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $1,313 in Medan.

Living in Uluwatu, Bali is roughly 161% more expensive than Medan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Uluwatu, Bali is 27% above, Medan is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 Rp 74.0K

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

126.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.93 Rp 695.2K

$10.63 Rp 189.9K

266.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 Rp 106.9K

$3.22 Rp 57.4K

86.02%

Cappuccino

$3.39 Rp 60.6K

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

88.33%

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

$1.61 Rp 28.8K

$0.40 Rp 7,122

302.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

$0.25 Rp 4,419

252.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 Rp 63.1K

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

123.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 Rp 81.9K

$5.13 Rp 91.7K

-10.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 Rp 32.7K

$1.18 Rp 21.0K

55.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 Rp 47.5K

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

127.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.5K

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

39.08%

Eggs

$2.53 Rp 45.2K

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

60.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.46 Rp 276.0K

$9.78 Rp 174.6K

58.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 Rp 81.4K

$3.88 Rp 69.3K

17.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 Rp 223.4K

$6.86 Rp 122.5K

82.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 Rp 69.6K

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

70.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

63.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 Rp 52.0K

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

97.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 42.4K

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

153.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.8K

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

178.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

83.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

$0.46 Rp 8,163

134.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$0.46 Rp 8,201

60.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.6K

$2.48 Rp 44.2K

32.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.10 Rp 448.3K

$15.75 Rp 281.3K

59.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.6K

$1.35 Rp 24.1K

122.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 51.8K

$3.17 Rp 56.6K

-8.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 Rp 6,057

$0.30 Rp 5,318

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.40 Rp 185.7K

$9.86 Rp 176.1K

5.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

$0.52 Rp 9,345

15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 Rp 9,583

$0.22 Rp 3,931

145.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.56 Rp 135.0K

$6.27 Rp 111.9K

20.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

25.61%

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

$32.2K Rp 574.5M

$28.1K Rp 501.4M

14.60%

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

$39.4K Rp 703.6M

$33.8K Rp 604.3M

16.43%

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

$87.6 Rp 1.6M

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

5.04%

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

$4.34 Rp 77.5K

$3.64 Rp 65.1K

19.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.50 Rp 473.2K

$33.53 Rp 598.8K

-20.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 Rp 2.0M

$23.40 Rp 417.8K

378.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.62 Rp 136.1K

$7.27 Rp 129.8K

4.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 Rp 85.2K

$3.58 Rp 63.9K

33.24%

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

$347 Rp 6.2M

$126 Rp 2.3M

174.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,491 Rp 133.8M

$10.6K Rp 188.8M

-29.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 Rp 1.1M

$66.3 Rp 1.2M

-9.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.64 Rp 761.4K

$42.49 Rp 758.9K

0.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 Rp 1.7M

$116 Rp 2.1M

-15.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.2 Rp 1.5M

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

30.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 Rp 23.8M

$191 Rp 3.4M

597.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$921 Rp 16.5M

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

834.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,567 Rp 81.6M

$544 Rp 9.7M

739.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,786 Rp 49.8M

$231 Rp 4.1M

1108.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,712 Rp 66.3M

$1,176 Rp 21.0M

215.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,139 Rp 56.1M

$567 Rp 10.1M

453.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,335 in Uluwatu, Bali and $191 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Uluwatu, Bali vs $11.00 in Medan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $187 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 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,550 in Uluwatu, Bali and $977 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: $1,335 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $191 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 5% less than in Uluwatu, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $347 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $126 in Medan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $651 in Medan versus $1,700 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 161% less than in Uluwatu, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.