Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ames, IA and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,368 a month against $2,142 in Ames, IA, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

104

Cost of Living Index in Ames, IA
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Ames, IA Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index

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Ames, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,142

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,368

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ames, IA and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ames, IA and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,142 in Ames, IA versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Ames, IA $2,142
Ubud, Bali $1,368

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,242 in Ames, IA versus $2,314 in Ubud, Bali.

Ames, IA $3,242
Ubud, Bali $2,314

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,342 in Ames, IA versus $3,260 in Ubud, Bali.

Ames, IA $4,342
Ubud, Bali $3,260

Living in Ames, IA is roughly 57% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ames, IA 59% above, Ubud, Bali 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.13 $18.13

$3.33 Rp 59.9K

444.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 $52.0

$35.18 Rp 633.2K

47.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 $12.18

$5.80 Rp 104.5K

110.00%

Cappuccino

$4.87 $4.87

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

78.39%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$1.64 Rp 29.5K

58.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

171.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.70 Rp 48.6K

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 $6.81

$4.30 Rp 77.4K

58.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

-40.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.30 Rp 41.4K

54.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

176.27%

Eggs

$3.34 $3.34

$2.14 Rp 38.6K

56.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$17.48 Rp 314.6K

-42.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.62 $13.62

$4.03 Rp 72.5K

237.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$12.23 Rp 220.1K

55.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$3.55 Rp 63.9K

65.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

15.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

198.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$1.93 Rp 34.7K

170.47%

Potato (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.88 Rp 33.9K

141.49%

Onion (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.29 Rp 41.3K

77.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 $2.32

$0.99 Rp 17.9K

134.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.53 Rp 9,475

360.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.03 $13.03

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

471.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.11 $16.11

$23.01 Rp 414.2K

-29.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

22.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 $4.98

$2.91 Rp 52.4K

71.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.24 Rp 4,315

312.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.57 $35.57

$8.82 Rp 158.7K

303.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 $5.09

$0.48 Rp 8,684

960.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.46 Rp 8,233

267.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.13 $24.13

$5.45 Rp 98.2K

342.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.88 Rp 15.9K

9.09%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$24.6K Rp 442.2M

0.68%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$31.2K Rp 561.4M

-19.61%

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

$176 $176

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

112.38%

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

$54.3 $54.3

$6.45 Rp 116.0K

742.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$18.57 Rp 334.2K

283.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 $69.0

$55.8 Rp 1.0M

23.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.74 $19.74

$18.11 Rp 326.0K

9.00%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 $15.97

$4.38 Rp 78.9K

264.61%

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

$1,370 $1,370

$493 Rp 8.9M

177.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.1K $36.1K

$5,754 Rp 103.6M

528.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 $58.4

$46.19 Rp 831.4K

26.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.68 $44.68

$35.33 Rp 636.0K

26.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 $90.1

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

13.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

33.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 $1,005

$1,142 Rp 20.6M

-12.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 $822

$676 Rp 12.2M

21.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 $1,860

$3,503 Rp 63.1M

-46.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 $1,505

$1,700 Rp 30.6M

-11.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,432 $2,432

$2,784 Rp 50.1M

-12.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,185 $2,185

$2,241 Rp 40.3M

-2.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,597 $3,597

$165 Rp 3.0M

2086.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.41

13.78

-53.48%

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

Last update for Ames, IA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ames, IA

$822 38.4%

Ubud, Bali

$676 49.4% 17.8% $147

Groceries & Markets

Ames, IA

$436 20.4%

Ubud, Bali

$290 21.2% 33.5% $146

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ames, IA

$302 14.1%

Ubud, Bali

$108 7.9% 64.2% $194

Eating Out

Ames, IA

$293 13.7%

Ubud, Bali

$109 8% 62.9% $185

Clothing & Footwear

Ames, IA

$134 6.3%

Ubud, Bali

$108 7.9% 19.7% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Ames, IA

$101 4.7%

Ubud, Bali

$65 4.7% 36% $36

Getting Around

Ames, IA

$53 2.5%

Ubud, Bali

$13 0.9% 76.4% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,005 in Ames, IA and $1,142 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ames, IA pays 2086% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Ames, IA vs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $436 vs $290 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ames, IA

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

13:40 1:40 PM

02:40 2:40 AM

13 h ahead of Ames, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

66,427

74,800

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

IDR to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Ames, IA Ubud, Bali 15,340 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Ames, IA
Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in Ames, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 2086% higher in Ames, IA, 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: $1,005 in Ames, IA versus $1,142 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 303% less than in Ames, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,370 in Ames, IA versus $493 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,142 in Ames, IA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Ames, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,368 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ames, IA 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Ames, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.