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: $538 in Badulla versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $877 in Badulla versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,217 in Badulla versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Badulla costs roughly 61% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Badulla is 61% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.49 LKR 1,484

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

30.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.54 LKR 8,445

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

-29.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 LKR 2,570

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

36.08%

Cappuccino

$2.48 LKR 820

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

-7.12%

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

$0.68 LKR 226

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-61.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.4

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

-71.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 749

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

-23.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 LKR 976

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

-34.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 524

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

-2.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 LKR 178

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-76.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 LKR 222

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

-39.64%

Eggs

$1.63 LKR 539

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

-25.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.02 LKR 4,306

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

-26.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 LKR 1,233

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

-9.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.36 LKR 2,434

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

-39.57%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 LKR 2,213

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

80.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 274

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

-47.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 LKR 1,396

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

85.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 408

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

-36.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LKR 326

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

-48.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 265

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

-65.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 LKR 289

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

-13.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 150

$0.55 Rp 9,791

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.42 LKR 3,445

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

367.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.52 LKR 4,469

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

-41.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 625

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

-21.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 948

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

-4.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 128

$0.48 Rp 8,582

-18.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 115

$0.43 Rp 7,693

-18.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 292

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

-84.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 LKR 439

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

66.25%

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

$36.6K LKR 12.1M

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

46.67%

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

$40.2K LKR 13.3M

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

26.77%

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

$55.4 LKR 18.3K

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-31.97%

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

$4.12 LKR 1,361

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

-36.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 LKR 6,888

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

10.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.32 LKR 1,427

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

-4.85%

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

$38.72 LKR 12.8K

$481 Rp 8.5M

-91.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,238 LKR 409.3K

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

-78.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.84 LKR 6,561

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

-56.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.62 LKR 5,494

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

-53.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 LKR 26.1K

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-1.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.27 LKR 14.0K

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

-46.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.5 LKR 25.0K

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

-93.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$46.29 LKR 15.3K

$698 Rp 12.4M

-93.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.4 LKR 29.9K

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-94.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,574 LKR 1.5M

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

64.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$762 LKR 251.9K

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

-66.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 LKR 75.4K

$168 Rp 3.0M

35.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

13.78

-7.91%

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

Last update for Badulla: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.5 in Badulla and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Badulla pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Badulla vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $295 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 154% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 36% higher in Badulla, 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: $75.5 in Badulla versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $38.72 in Badulla versus $481 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 $26.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $538 in Badulla versus $1,368 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 154% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.