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Bali vs Melbourne cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฎ๐ฉ Bali
๐ฆ๐บ Melbourne
At a glance
- Where Bali is clearly cheaper: Transit (94%โ), Bottled water (88%โ), Street food (88%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Melbourne is easier to travel (1.6 vs 3.0). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Bali 4 vs Melbourne 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Bali | Melbourne | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | Rp 35,000$2.15 | A$ 24$16 | Bali โ87% |
| Street food1 item | Rp 20,000$1.23 | A$ 15$10 | Bali โ88% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | Rp 175,000$10.7 | A$ 55$36.7 | Bali โ71% |
| Coffeeone cup | Rp 40,000$2.45 | A$ 5.6$3.73 | Bali โ34% |
| Beerone bottle | Rp 40,000$2.45 | A$ 14$9.33 | Bali โ74% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | Rp 120,000$7.36 | A$ 20$13.3 | Bali โ45% |
| Bottled water | Rp 5,000$0.31 | A$ 4$2.67 | Bali โ88% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | Rp 10,000$0.61 | A$ 4.8$3.2 | Bali โ81% |
| Taxi5 km in town | Rp 35,000$2.15 | A$ 18$12 | Bali โ82% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | Rp 15,000$0.92 | A$ 11$7.33 | Bali โ87% |
| Transitone ride | Rp 4,000$0.25 | A$ 5.7$3.8 | Bali โ94% |
| Scooter rentalper day | Rp 75,000$4.6 | A$ 40$26.7 | Bali โ83% |
| Hotel night3-star | Rp 800,000$49.1 | A$ 190$127 | Bali โ61% |
| Studio rent (month) | Rp 10,000,000$613 | A$ 2,150$1,433 | Bali โ57% |
| Laundry | Rp 15,000$0.92 | A$ 7.5$5 | Bali โ82% |
| SIM card1 week data | Rp 150,000$9.2 | A$ 30$20 | Bali โ54% |
| Haircutcut | Rp 60,000$3.68 | A$ 38$25.3 | Bali โ85% |
| Massage1 hour | Rp 120,000$7.36 | A$ 85$56.7 | Bali โ87% |
| Half-day tourper person | Rp 500,000$30.7 | A$ 90$60 | Bali โ49% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | Rp 75,000$4.6 | A$ 38$25.3 | Bali โ82% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Bali or Melbourne?
Bali is 65% cheaper than Melbourne. Daily budget $78.6 vs $255; a month $2,107 vs $5,229.
Which is easier to travel, Bali or Melbourne?
Melbourne is easier: Melbourne 1.6/5 vs Bali 3.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Bali and Melbourne?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Bali is about $2,107 and Melbourne about $5,229 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.