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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $532 in Badulla versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $854 in Badulla versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,177 in Badulla versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Badulla costs roughly 62% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Badulla is 60% below, Ubud, Bali is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 LKR 1,330

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

11.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.26 LKR 8,427

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

-22.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 LKR 2,810

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

73.25%

Cappuccino

$2.73 LKR 909

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

-0.73%

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

$0.73 LKR 245

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-44.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-45.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 LKR 777

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

-19.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 LKR 1,149

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

-8.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 LKR 562

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

-1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 LKR 172

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

-79.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 243

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

-39.17%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 710

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

-12.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.30 LKR 4,769

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

-0.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 LKR 1,337

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

-6.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 LKR 2,627

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

-35.46%

Apples (1kg)

$7.31 LKR 2,437

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

98.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 373

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

-27.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.88 LKR 1,960

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

110.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 415

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

-46.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 370

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

-43.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 472

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-38.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 386

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

9.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 187

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

-23.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.18 LKR 3,397

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

210.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 LKR 4,288

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-43.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 664

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-29.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 942

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

1.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$0.45 Rp 8,047

-13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 118

$0.45 Rp 8,094

-22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 202

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

-90.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 421

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

48.24%

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

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

1.12%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

11.13%

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

$60.2 LKR 20.1K

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

-25.41%

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

$4.23 LKR 1,411

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

4.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.91 LKR 4,974

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

-38.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,136

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

-15.84%

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

$36.14 LKR 12.1K

$304 Rp 5.4M

-88.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 144.3K

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

-93.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.33 LKR 9,116

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

-49.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.72 LKR 6,579

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

-49.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 LKR 23.1K

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

-19.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.71 LKR 12.9K

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

-49.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,516 LKR 1.5M

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

64.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$734 LKR 244.9K

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

-67.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$218 LKR 72.8K

$163 Rp 2.9M

33.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-9.64%

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

Last update for Badulla: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Badulla pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Badulla vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $297 per month, with Badulla 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

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

Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 164% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Badulla pays 34% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $36.14 in Badulla versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Badulla – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $532 in Badulla versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Badulla but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Badulla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Badulla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Badulla 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 Badulla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 164% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.