Cost of Living Comparison Between Balikpapan and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Balikpapan and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $778 in Balikpapan versus $1,394 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,200 in Balikpapan versus $2,551 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,622 in Balikpapan versus $3,708 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Balikpapan costs roughly 44% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Balikpapan is 42% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.57 Rp 27.8K

$3.40 Rp 60.2K

-53.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.13 Rp 268.0K

$32.38 Rp 573.6K

-53.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$5.00 Rp 88.6K

-33.00%

Cappuccino

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

$2.82 Rp 50.0K

-38.65%

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

$0.40 Rp 7,116

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

-71.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 Rp 6,803

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

-47.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 Rp 35.7K

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

-32.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

$3.97 Rp 70.3K

-20.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 Rp 33.6K

$1.79 Rp 31.8K

5.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

5.83%

Eggs

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

11.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 Rp 140.3K

$14.40 Rp 255.1K

-45.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 Rp 89.2K

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

17.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.95 Rp 140.8K

$11.82 Rp 209.4K

-32.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 Rp 66.0K

$3.78 Rp 67.0K

-1.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.63 Rp 28.9K

-4.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.6K

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

-24.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 22.3K

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

-44.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.1K

$2.00 Rp 35.3K

-9.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 64.1K

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

63.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

$1.07 Rp 18.9K

-12.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

3.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$3.13 Rp 55.4K

-34.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.59 Rp 382.5K

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

-9.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

-20.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 Rp 76.8K

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

55.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 Rp 11.2K

$0.27 Rp 4,726

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.67 Rp 171.2K

$8.37 Rp 148.2K

15.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

$0.45 Rp 8,034

177.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,652

$0.43 Rp 7,578

-11.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 Rp 105.5K

$5.98 Rp 105.9K

-0.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

-7.50%

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

$24.5K Rp 434.5M

$25.8K Rp 457.2M

-4.96%

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

$26.0K Rp 460.5M

$31.8K Rp 563.4M

-18.26%

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

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

14.07%

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

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

$4.14 Rp 73.3K

-28.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.61 Rp 560.0K

$24.12 Rp 427.2K

31.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.70 Rp 384.3K

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

-77.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 Rp 107.3K

$6.64 Rp 117.7K

-8.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 Rp 55.3K

$4.04 Rp 71.5K

-22.77%

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

$61.9 Rp 1.1M

$297 Rp 5.3M

-79.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,588 Rp 134.4M

$6,590 Rp 116.7M

15.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.41 Rp 733.6K

$55.1 Rp 976.8K

-24.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.63 Rp 365.5K

$38.51 Rp 682.1K

-46.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 Rp 2.2M

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

44.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 Rp 2.2M

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

58.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 Rp 3.9M

$985 Rp 17.5M

-77.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 Rp 2.8M

$665 Rp 11.8M

-76.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 Rp 8.7M

$3,446 Rp 61.0M

-85.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 Rp 5.5M

$2,042 Rp 36.2M

-84.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,084 Rp 19.2M

$2,829 Rp 50.1M

-61.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$628 Rp 11.1M

$2,282 Rp 40.4M

-72.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$195 Rp 3.4M

$169 Rp 3.0M

14.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

12.95%

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

Last update for Balikpapan: June 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $222 in Balikpapan and $985 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balikpapan pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $15.00 in Balikpapan vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $299 per month, with Balikpapan 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

Balikpapan vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Balikpapan and Ubud, Bali differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($778 vs $1,394 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Balikpapan pays 15% more on average, 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: $222 in Balikpapan versus $985 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Balikpapan runs roughly 16% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $61.9 in Balikpapan versus $297 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $778 in Balikpapan versus $1,394 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Balikpapan but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Balikpapan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Balikpapan 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 Balikpapan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.