Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambon and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambon and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $675 in Ambon versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,036 in Ambon versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,397 in Ambon versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Ambon costs roughly 53% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ambon is 50% below, Ubud, Bali is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.87 Rp 15.1K

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

-75.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.06 Rp 208.2K

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

-62.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.41 Rp 58.8K

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

-32.74%

Cappuccino

$1.65 Rp 28.6K

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

-41.70%

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

$0.54 Rp 9,335

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

-59.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,504

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

-62.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 Rp 43.3K

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

-16.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 Rp 59.5K

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

-10.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Rp 21.2K

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

-29.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 Rp 19.4K

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

-55.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 16.4K

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

-20.17%

Eggs

$1.57 Rp 27.1K

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

-35.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.04 Rp 138.9K

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

-45.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.15 Rp 54.4K

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

-24.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 Rp 134.1K

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

-35.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 41.2K

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

-35.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 25.8K

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

-7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 32.5K

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

-30.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 25.9K

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

-35.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 Rp 23.5K

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

-28.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 32.6K

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

-13.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 16.4K

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

-10.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,227

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 Rp 44.0K

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

-18.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.04 Rp 380.5K

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 Rp 36.4K

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

-22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 Rp 55.2K

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,125

$0.29 Rp 5,010

3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 Rp 174.7K

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

23.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,162

$0.45 Rp 7,834

17.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,453

$0.42 Rp 7,278

-11.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 50.9K

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

-52.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.3K

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

-1.19%

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

$25.0K Rp 431.1M

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

-4.87%

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

$27.4K Rp 473.9M

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

-15.49%

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

$70.6 Rp 1.2M

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-10.00%

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

$4.32 Rp 74.6K

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

9.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.52 Rp 388.8K

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

-7.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.17 Rp 400.0K

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-76.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.09 Rp 105.2K

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

-4.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.13 Rp 54.0K

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

-22.52%

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

$91.9 Rp 1.6M

$303 Rp 5.2M

-69.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,453 Rp 128.7M

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

14.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.91 Rp 706.4K

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

-24.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.37 Rp 524.4K

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

-20.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 Rp 1.1M

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

-23.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-7.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 Rp 4.5M

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

-74.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 Rp 2.7M

$674 Rp 11.6M

-76.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 Rp 10.1M

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-82.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 Rp 5.8M

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

-84.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,052 Rp 18.2M

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

-64.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$883 Rp 15.2M

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

-62.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 Rp 3.1M

$173 Rp 3.0M

2.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

13.28

-31.10%

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

Last update for Ambon: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Ambon and $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ambon pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Ambon vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $298 per month, with Ambon 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

Ambon vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 113% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Ambon pays 2% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $262 in Ambon versus $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $675 per month in Ambon versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali – a 113% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 24% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $675 in Ambon versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambon but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Ambon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $675 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ambon and Ubud, Bali 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 Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.