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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,154 in Ames, IA versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,214 in Ames, IA versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,273 in Ames, IA versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Ames, IA is roughly 54% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ames, IA 57% above, Ubud, Bali 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 $18.20

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

440.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.1 $52.1

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

35.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

118.66%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

92.05%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

58.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

190.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

55.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

64.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

-41.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.67 $3.67

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

65.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

197.35%

Eggs

$3.34 $3.34

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

59.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 $10.16

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

-41.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.39 $14.39

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

271.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.47 $18.47

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

47.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

62.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

17.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

174.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

143.69%

Potato (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

127.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

62.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

127.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$0.55 Rp 9,854

363.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.14 $13.14

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

484.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.85 $15.85

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

-33.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

19.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

80.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.27 Rp 4,839

274.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.29 $35.29

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

307.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 $5.03

$0.48 Rp 8,554

947.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$0.45 Rp 7,924

271.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.03 $24.03

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

320.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

19.74%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

3.32%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

-22.00%

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

$160 $160

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

91.77%

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

$54.9 $54.9

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

750.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 $68.5

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

260.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 $68.9

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

23.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.76 $19.76

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

6.12%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 $15.77

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

268.46%

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

$1,376 $1,376

$487 Rp 8.6M

182.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.0K $36.0K

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

514.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 $58.7

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

28.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 $44.80

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

23.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 $89.9

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

9.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

32.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 $1,032

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

-7.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$823 $823

$701 Rp 12.5M

17.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 $1,806

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

-48.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,513 $1,513

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

-14.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,403 $2,403

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

-14.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,224 $2,224

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

-2.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,636 $3,636

$170 Rp 3.0M

2041.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.02

13.78

-56.31%

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

Last update for Ames, IA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,032 in Ames, IA and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ames, IA pays 2041% 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $438 vs $293 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 54% 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 2041% 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: $1,032 in Ames, IA versus $1,117 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 308% less than in Ames, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,376 in Ames, IA versus $487 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,154 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 $1,396 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 54% less than in Ames, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.