Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Kalmunai

For one person, living is cheaper in Kalmunai: $512 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
Kalmunai, Sri Lanka
Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,187
/mo nomad
Kalmunai
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$512
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bali and in Kalmunai

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

A single person spends $1,187 per month in Bali vs $512 in Kalmunai, rent included.

  • Bali $1,187
  • Kalmunai $512

A couple spends around $2,004 per month in Bali vs $831 in Kalmunai, rent included.

  • Bali $2,004
  • Kalmunai $831

A family of three spends $2,822 per month in Bali vs $1,151 in Kalmunai, rent included.

  • Bali $2,822
  • Kalmunai $1,151

Bali costs about 132% more than Kalmunai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bali
Kalmunai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.80 Rp 50.7K
$3.90 LKR 1,298
-28.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.85 Rp 521.5K
$24.74 LKR 8,225
16.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.76 Rp 86.1K
$7.35 LKR 2,443
-35.24%
Cappuccino
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
$2.49 LKR 827
-10.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 Rp 23.4K
$0.72 LKR 239
80.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 Rp 10.2K
$0.25 LKR 82.9
124.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
$2.19 LKR 727
1.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.55 Rp 64.2K
$2.92 LKR 972
21.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bali
Kalmunai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 Rp 25.4K
$1.57 LKR 521
-10.19%
White Bread (500g)
$2.18 Rp 39.4K
$0.57 LKR 188
282.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.05 Rp 18.9K
$0.76 LKR 254
38.16%
Eggs
$1.92 Rp 34.7K
$1.71 LKR 568
12.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.84 Rp 268.3K
$15.45 LKR 5,139
-3.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.86 Rp 69.8K
$5.07 LKR 1,687
-23.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.69 Rp 193.1K
$7.67 LKR 2,551
39.37%
Apples (1kg)
$3.34 Rp 60.3K
$6.62 LKR 2,201
-49.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 Rp 26.4K
$0.81 LKR 271
80.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 Rp 40.2K
$4.32 LKR 1,438
-48.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 Rp 32.6K
$1.32 LKR 440
36.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
$1.09 LKR 361
57.80%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.2K
$0.82 LKR 272
171.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.92 Rp 16.5K
$1.21 LKR 404
-23.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46 Rp 8,320
$0.46 LKR 153
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.06 Rp 37.2K
$10.13 LKR 3,367
-79.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.38 Rp 368.3K
$13.45 LKR 4,471
51.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 Rp 39.1K
$1.91 LKR 634
13.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 Rp 51.5K
$2.94 LKR 978
-3.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Bali
Kalmunai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,537
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.68 Rp 157.0K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,968
$0.41 LKR 135
7.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,777
$0.33 LKR 110
30.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 Rp 97.3K
$0.91 LKR 304
491.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 Rp 15.3K
$1.33 LKR 442
-36.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.7K Rp 429.1M
$43.7K LKR 14.5M
-45.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K Rp 593.8M
$46.3K LKR 15.4M
-29.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bali
Kalmunai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.7 Rp 1.4M
$57.5 LKR 19.1K
33.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.33 Rp 114.4K
$4.29 LKR 1,427
47.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.93 Rp 342.1K
$20.56 LKR 6,836
-7.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bali
Kalmunai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.65 Rp 752.8K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.78 Rp 267.1K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.58 Rp 64.7K
$4.45 LKR 1,478
-19.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bali
Kalmunai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$437 Rp 7.9M
$40.92 LKR 13.6K
967.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.0K Rp 199.5M
$17.0K LKR 5.7M
-35.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bali
Kalmunai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.09 Rp 778.8K
$17.70 LKR 5,886
143.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.51 Rp 605.6K
$17.18 LKR 5,712
95.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.0 Rp 1.4M
$78.6 LKR 26.1K
-4.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.9 Rp 1.3M
$41.74 LKR 13.9K
76.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bali
Kalmunai
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 54.7M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,446 Rp 26.1M
-
-
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
Kalmunai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$215 Rp 3.9M
$150 LKR 49.9K
43.48%
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 Kalmunai: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bali
$570
Kalmunai
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Bali
$263
Kalmunai
$245 6.7% $18
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bali
$102
Kalmunai
$82 19.3% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Bali
$101
Kalmunai
$70 31.2% $32
Eating Out
Bali
$89
Kalmunai
$104 16.3% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Bali
$49
Kalmunai
$8.9 * 81.8% $40
Getting Around
Bali
$12
Kalmunai
$2.1 * 83.2% $10

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 43% higher in Bali, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29 in Bali versus $25 in Kalmunai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $245 – making Kalmunai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Bali
🇱🇰 Kalmunai
🕒 Local time
04:40 4:40 AM
02:10 2:10 AM
2 h 30 min behind Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
25,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18,075 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.53 USD). 1 EUR = 20,291 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 373 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bali Kalmunai 4,110 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bali
  • Kalmunai

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 Kalmunai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bali or Kalmunai?
Bali costs about 132% more than Kalmunai, 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 Kalmunai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,780 per month in Bali and $768 in Kalmunai. 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 Kalmunai?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,187 in Bali and $512 in Kalmunai. That makes Kalmunai about 57% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Bali and in Kalmunai?
Kindergarten costs $437 per month in Bali and $41 in Kalmunai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $800/month in Bali or in Kalmunai?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kalmunai, where all-in costs run around $512, than in Bali at $1,187. In Kalmunai 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 Kalmunai?
It depends on your priorities. Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $512 in Kalmunai to $1,187 in Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Should I move to Bali or to Kalmunai?
If budget matters most, go with Kalmunai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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