Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Dambulla

For one person, living is cheaper in Dambulla: $505 a month against $1,214 in Bali, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bali, Indonesia
Dambulla, Sri Lanka
Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,214
/mo nomad
Dambulla
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$505
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bali and in Dambulla

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bali and in Dambulla actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,214 per month in Bali vs $505 in Dambulla, rent included.

  • Bali $1,214
  • Dambulla $505

A couple spends around $2,047 per month in Bali vs $818 in Dambulla, rent included.

  • Bali $2,047
  • Dambulla $818

A family of three spends $2,880 per month in Bali vs $1,131 in Dambulla, rent included.

  • Bali $2,880
  • Dambulla $1,131

Bali costs about 141% more than Dambulla, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bali and Dambulla are more affordable than the global median – Bali 11% lower, Dambulla 63% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bali
Dambulla
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.73 Rp 49.6K
$3.85 LKR 1,281
-29.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.91 Rp 525.5K
$25.00 LKR 8,311
15.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.56 Rp 82.9K
$7.66 LKR 2,546
-40.47%
Cappuccino
$2.26 Rp 41.2K
$2.47 LKR 821
-8.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 Rp 25.9K
$0.67 LKR 224
113.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 Rp 12.4K
$0.27 LKR 89.9
151.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
$2.27 LKR 753
-1.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 Rp 66.9K
$2.93 LKR 975
25.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bali
Dambulla
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 Rp 27.1K
$1.63 LKR 543
-8.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.18 Rp 39.7K
$0.56 LKR 188
289.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.14 Rp 20.7K
$0.77 LKR 254
48.05%
Eggs
$2.02 Rp 36.7K
$1.63 LKR 542
23.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.81 Rp 305.5K
$13.55 LKR 4,504
24.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.57 Rp 64.9K
$4.92 LKR 1,635
-27.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.31 Rp 205.5K
$7.30 LKR 2,428
54.93%
Apples (1kg)
$3.44 Rp 62.6K
$6.47 LKR 2,152
-46.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 Rp 27.5K
$0.87 LKR 289
73.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 Rp 39.8K
$4.33 LKR 1,441
-49.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.88 Rp 34.2K
$1.32 LKR 440
42.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.71 Rp 31.1K
$1.01 LKR 336
69.31%
Onion (1kg)
$2.32 Rp 42.1K
$0.79 LKR 262
193.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 18.1K
$0.87 LKR 289
13.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50 Rp 9,085
$0.43 LKR 142
16.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.03 Rp 36.9K
$10.35 LKR 3,440
-80.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.49 Rp 390.6K
$12.67 LKR 4,214
69.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.14 Rp 38.8K
$1.89 LKR 627
13.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 Rp 52.1K
$2.93 LKR 974
-2.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Bali
Dambulla
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,571
$0.07 LKR 23.76
257.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.82 Rp 160.3K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 8,169
$0.38 LKR 126
18.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.44 Rp 7,991
$0.38 LKR 125
15.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.48 Rp 99.6K
$0.87 LKR 289
529.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 Rp 16.1K
$1.37 LKR 456
-35.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.3K Rp 441.6M
$43.7K LKR 14.5M
-44.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.9K Rp 580.5M
$41.0K LKR 13.6M
-22.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bali
Dambulla
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.9 Rp 1.5M
$59.8 LKR 19.9K
33.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.55 Rp 119.0K
$4.30 LKR 1,431
52.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.48 Rp 335.9K
$20.98 LKR 6,976
-11.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bali
Dambulla
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.66 Rp 739.0K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.93 Rp 271.3K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.67 Rp 66.6K
$4.57 LKR 1,520
-19.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bali
Dambulla
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$437 Rp 7.9M
$37.27 LKR 12.4K
1073.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,063 Rp 92.0M
$1,199 LKR 398.5K
322.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bali
Dambulla
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.62 Rp 792.8K
$18.35 LKR 6,102
137.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.69 Rp 594.2K
$16.43 LKR 5,462
98.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.6 Rp 1.3M
$78.1 LKR 26.0K
-5.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.3 Rp 1.4M
$41.03 LKR 13.6K
81.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bali
Dambulla
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$984 Rp 17.9M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$583 Rp 10.6M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,121 Rp 56.7M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,475 Rp 26.8M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,447 Rp 44.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,963 Rp 35.7M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bali
Dambulla
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$215 Rp 3.9M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
12.69
8.59%

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

Last update for Bali: October 24, 2026

Last update for Dambulla: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bali
$583
Dambulla
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Bali
$275
Dambulla
$234 14.9% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bali
$105
Dambulla
$85 18.9% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Bali
$101
Dambulla
$69 31.4% $32
Eating Out
Bali
$90
Dambulla
$104 16.5% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Bali
$48
Dambulla
$9.2 * 80.9% $39
Getting Around
Bali
$12
Dambulla
$2.5 * 79.6% $9.9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29 in Bali versus $25 in Dambulla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $234 – making Dambulla the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Bali
🇱🇰 Dambulla
🕒 Local time
04:17 4:17 AM
01:47 1:47 AM
2 h 30 min behind Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
68,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

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).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 332 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 370 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bali Dambulla 4,240 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bali
  • Dambulla

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
Bali vs Dambulla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bali or Dambulla?
Bali costs about 141% more than Dambulla, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Bali and in Dambulla?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,821 per month in Bali and $757 in Dambulla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does it cost to live in Bali compared to Dambulla?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,214 in Bali and $505 in Dambulla. That makes Dambulla about 58% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Bali and in Dambulla?
Kindergarten costs $437 per month in Bali and $37 in Dambulla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Bali or in Dambulla?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Dambulla, where all-in costs run around $505, than in Bali at $1,214. In Dambulla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Bali or Dambulla?
It depends on your priorities. Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $505 in Dambulla to $1,214 in Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Bali compared to Dambulla?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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