Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Galle

For one person, living is cheaper in Galle: $510 a month against $1,187 in Bali, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bali, Indonesia
Galle, Sri Lanka
Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,187
/mo nomad
Galle
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$510
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bali and in Galle

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 Galle actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,187 per month in Bali vs $510 in Galle, rent included.

  • Bali $1,187
  • Galle $510

A couple spends around $2,004 per month in Bali vs $829 in Galle, rent included.

  • Bali $2,004
  • Galle $829

A family of three spends $2,822 per month in Bali vs $1,148 in Galle, rent included.

  • Bali $2,822
  • Galle $1,148

Bali costs about 133% more than Galle, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Bali and Galle are more affordable than the global median – Bali 12% lower, Galle 62% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bali
Galle
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.80 Rp 50.7K
$3.71 LKR 1,232
-24.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.85 Rp 522.3K
$25.23 LKR 8,391
14.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.76 Rp 86.2K
$7.43 LKR 2,471
-35.94%
Cappuccino
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
$2.55 LKR 847
-12.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 Rp 23.5K
$0.73 LKR 242
78.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 Rp 10.2K
$0.25 LKR 83.2
124.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.23 Rp 40.5K
$2.17 LKR 720
2.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.55 Rp 64.3K
$2.98 LKR 992
19.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bali
Galle
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 Rp 25.4K
$1.64 LKR 546
-14.02%
White Bread (500g)
$2.18 Rp 39.5K
$0.57 LKR 190
282.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.05 Rp 18.9K
$0.81 LKR 268
29.63%
Eggs
$1.92 Rp 34.8K
$1.64 LKR 547
17.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.84 Rp 268.7K
$15.40 LKR 5,120
-3.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.86 Rp 69.9K
$5.11 LKR 1,700
-24.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.69 Rp 193.4K
$7.40 LKR 2,461
44.46%
Apples (1kg)
$3.34 Rp 60.4K
$6.43 LKR 2,140
-48.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 Rp 26.4K
$0.82 LKR 272
78.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 Rp 40.3K
$4.22 LKR 1,404
-47.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 Rp 32.7K
$1.32 LKR 437
36.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.72 Rp 31.1K
$1.05 LKR 348
63.81%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.3K
$0.81 LKR 271
175.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.92 Rp 16.6K
$1.25 LKR 416
-26.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46 Rp 8,333
$0.45 LKR 151
2.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.06 Rp 37.2K
$10.31 LKR 3,427
-80.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.38 Rp 368.9K
$13.53 LKR 4,498
50.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 Rp 39.2K
$1.95 LKR 648
10.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 Rp 51.6K
$2.85 LKR 947
-
🚌 Getting Around
Bali
Galle
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,544
$0.16 LKR 52.4
56.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.68 Rp 157.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,980
$0.29 LKR 95.8
51.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,789
$0.31 LKR 104
38.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 Rp 97.5K
$0.87 LKR 290
518.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 Rp 15.4K
$1.33 LKR 441
-36.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.7K Rp 429.8M
$42.8K LKR 14.2M
-44.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K Rp 594.7M
$45.8K LKR 15.2M
-28.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bali
Galle
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.7 Rp 1.4M
$56.2 LKR 18.7K
36.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.33 Rp 114.5K
$4.09 LKR 1,360
54.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.93 Rp 342.7K
$21.08 LKR 7,009
-10.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bali
Galle
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.65 Rp 754.0K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.78 Rp 267.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.58 Rp 64.8K
$4.64 LKR 1,545
-22.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bali
Galle
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$437 Rp 7.9M
$39.64 LKR 13.2K
1001.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.0K Rp 199.8M
$17.3K LKR 5.8M
-36.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bali
Galle
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.09 Rp 780.0K
$18.17 LKR 6,040
137.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.51 Rp 606.6K
$17.46 LKR 5,808
91.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.0 Rp 1.4M
$77.7 LKR 25.8K
-3.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.9 Rp 1.3M
$42.00 LKR 14.0K
75.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bali
Galle
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$957 Rp 17.3M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$570 Rp 10.3M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,028 Rp 54.8M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,446 Rp 26.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,096 Rp 37.9M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,885 Rp 34.1M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bali
Galle
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$215 Rp 3.9M
$316 LKR 105.1K
-31.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
12.5
10.24%

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

Last update for Bali: October 31, 2026

Last update for Galle: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bali
$570
Galle
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Bali
$263
Galle
$244 7.2% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bali
$102
Galle
$81 20.3% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Bali
$101
Galle
$70 31.1% $32
Eating Out
Bali
$89
Galle
$103 15.7% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Bali
$49
Galle
$9.3 * 81% $40
Getting Around
Bali
$12
Galle
$2.5 * 79.8% $9.8

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 47% higher in Galle, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29 in Bali versus $25 in Galle. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $244 – making Galle the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Bali
🇱🇰 Galle
🕒 Local time
10:37 10:37 AM
08:07 8:07 AM
2 h 30 min behind Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
100,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 18,103 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.52 USD). 1 EUR = 20,231 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bali Galle 4,210 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bali
  • Galle

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 Galle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bali or Galle?
Bali costs about 133% more than Galle, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. 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 Galle?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,780 per month in Bali and $766 in Galle. 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 Galle?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,187 in Bali and $510 in Galle. That makes Galle about 57% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Bali and in Galle?
Kindergarten costs $437 per month in Bali and $40 in Galle. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Bali or in Galle?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Galle, where all-in costs run around $510, than in Bali at $1,187. In Galle it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bali or Galle?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Galle costs $510 versus $1,187 in Bali. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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