Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amherst, MA and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,349 a month against $2,767 in Amherst, MA, rent and utilities included – about $17,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

132

Cost of Living Index in Amherst, MA
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Amherst, MA Living Index
65

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

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Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,767

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,349

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amherst, MA 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 Amherst, MA and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,767 in Amherst, MA versus $1,349 in Ubud, Bali.

Amherst, MA $2,767
Ubud, Bali $1,349

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,275 in Amherst, MA versus $2,305 in Ubud, Bali.

Amherst, MA $4,275
Ubud, Bali $2,305

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,783 in Amherst, MA versus $3,261 in Ubud, Bali.

Amherst, MA $5,783
Ubud, Bali $3,261

Living in Amherst, MA is roughly 105% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.05 $20.05

$3.32 Rp 60.4K

503.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 $70.8

$35.64 Rp 647.8K

98.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 $8.90

$5.53 Rp 100.6K

60.94%

Cappuccino

$4.79 $4.79

$2.72 Rp 49.4K

76.10%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$1.70 Rp 30.9K

58.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.76 Rp 13.8K

171.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$2.65 Rp 48.2K

125.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.41 $10.41

$4.38 Rp 79.6K

137.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.49 Rp 27.1K

-28.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.28 Rp 41.4K

40.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.00 $7.00

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

488.24%

Eggs

$4.69 $4.69

$2.04 Rp 37.0K

129.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.50 $16.50

$17.70 Rp 321.7K

-6.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.78 $15.78

$3.96 Rp 72.0K

298.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.29 $18.29

$12.19 Rp 221.6K

50.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$3.66 Rp 66.4K

28.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.52 Rp 27.6K

-4.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.23 Rp 40.5K

45.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$1.97 Rp 35.9K

133.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$1.85 Rp 33.6K

76.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.42 Rp 44.1K

53.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.99 Rp 18.0K

132.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.51 Rp 9,332

296.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.69 $10.69

$2.22 Rp 40.4K

381.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.14 $12.14

$22.24 Rp 404.2K

-45.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.26 Rp 41.1K

-12.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.97 Rp 54.0K

31.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 $1.29

$0.25 Rp 4,562

416.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.34 $28.34

$7.82 Rp 142.2K

262.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$0.44 Rp 7,989

709.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.43 Rp 7,817

230.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.78 $29.78

$5.41 Rp 98.3K

450.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.82 Rp 15.0K

20.73%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$23.8K Rp 433.3M

15.47%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$31.7K Rp 577.0M

-16.96%

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

$213 $213

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

169.34%

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

$56.5 $56.5

$6.45 Rp 117.2K

776.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.9 $87.9

$18.58 Rp 337.7K

373.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 $121

$49.48 Rp 899.4K

145.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.90 $6.90

$17.65 Rp 320.8K

-60.91%

Cinema Ticket

$10.65 $10.65

$4.27 Rp 77.7K

149.41%

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

$1,466 $1,466

$491 Rp 8.9M

198.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K $17.2K

$5,674 Rp 103.1M

202.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.22 $45.22

$44.64 Rp 811.4K

1.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.24 $40.24

$34.95 Rp 635.3K

15.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 $91.6

$79.9 Rp 1.5M

14.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

37.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 $1,821

$1,125 Rp 20.4M

61.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 $1,346

$671 Rp 12.2M

100.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,829 $3,829

$3,565 Rp 64.8M

7.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 $2,708

$1,723 Rp 31.3M

57.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,969 $3,969

$2,732 Rp 49.6M

45.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,035 $4,035

$2,284 Rp 41.5M

76.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,660 $4,660

$164 Rp 3.0M

2744.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

13.78

-55.73%

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

Last update for Amherst, MA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Amherst, MA

$1.3K 48.7%

Ubud, Bali

$672 49.8% 50.1% $675

Groceries & Markets

Amherst, MA

$434 15.7%

Ubud, Bali

$288 21.4% 33.5% $145

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amherst, MA

$357 12.9%

Ubud, Bali

$104 7.7% 70.9% $253

Eating Out

Amherst, MA

$314 11.4%

Ubud, Bali

$108 8% 65.7% $207

Sport & Entertainment

Amherst, MA

$143 5.2%

Ubud, Bali

$58 4.3% 59.3% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Amherst, MA

$129 4.7%

Ubud, Bali

$108 8% 16.6% $21

Getting Around

Amherst, MA

$44 1.6%

Ubud, Bali

$11 0.9% 74.1% $33

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,821 in Amherst, MA and $1,125 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amherst, MA pays about 28 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $71 in Amherst, MA vs $36 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 vs $288 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Amherst, MA

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

19:13 7:13 PM

07:13 7:13 AM

12 h ahead of Amherst, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,819

74,800

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.5 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 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18,175 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20,233 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

IDR to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Amherst, MA Ubud, Bali 16,170 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Amherst, MA
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

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

Ubud, Bali is about 51% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay in Amherst, MA is about 28 times higher, 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: $1,821 in Amherst, MA versus $1,125 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,466 in Amherst, MA versus $491 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Amherst, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Ubud, Bali is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Amherst, MA and Ubud, Bali are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Amherst, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.