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: $530 in Badulla versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $845 in Badulla versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,159 in Badulla versus $3,723 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 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 LKR 1,384

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

15.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.75 LKR 8,304

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

-23.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 LKR 2,888

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

71.86%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 919

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

-2.84%

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

$0.69 LKR 232

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-48.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 137

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

-43.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 799

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

-18.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 LKR 1,112

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

-15.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 LKR 542

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-8.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 177

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

-78.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 LKR 228

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

-40.87%

Eggs

$2.19 LKR 734

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

-9.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.97 LKR 4,687

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

-2.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.98 LKR 1,337

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

-5.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 LKR 2,764

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

-31.67%

Apples (1kg)

$7.30 LKR 2,449

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

100.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 355

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 LKR 1,984

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

111.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 417

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

-44.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 390

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

-41.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 459

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-39.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 388

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

10.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 190

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-29.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.91 LKR 3,324

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

210.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.40 LKR 4,159

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-47.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 707

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-27.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 LKR 983

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

6.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 140

$0.45 Rp 8,167

-6.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 119

$0.46 Rp 8,298

-21.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 207

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

-89.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 407

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

40.70%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

-0.87%

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

$34.9K LKR 11.7M

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

7.16%

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

$60.6 LKR 20.3K

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-23.30%

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

$4.35 LKR 1,460

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

6.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.30 LKR 5,132

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

-35.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.41 LKR 1,145

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

-14.96%

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

$37.15 LKR 12.5K

$297 Rp 5.4M

-87.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$443 LKR 148.6K

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

-93.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.18 LKR 9,121

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

-49.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.29 LKR 6,471

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

-49.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.5 LKR 23.0K

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-22.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.49 LKR 12.9K

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

-49.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,451 LKR 1.5M

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

63.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$755 LKR 253.2K

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

-67.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$222 LKR 74.6K

$164 Rp 3.0M

35.75%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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: $25.00 in Badulla vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $298 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 163% 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.

Childcare runs $37.15 in Badulla versus $297 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $530 in Badulla versus $1,392 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 163% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.