Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballina and Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Bali: $1,236 a month against $2,462 in Ballina, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Ballina
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,462
/mo nomad
Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,236
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ballina and in Bali

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

A single person spends $2,462 per month in Ballina vs $1,236 in Bali, rent included.

  • Ballina $2,462
  • Bali $1,236

A couple spends around $3,724 per month in Ballina vs $2,086 in Bali, rent included.

  • Ballina $3,724
  • Bali $2,086

A family of three spends $4,986 per month in Ballina vs $2,937 in Bali, rent included.

  • Ballina $4,986
  • Bali $2,937

Ballina costs about 99% more than Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Ballina sits 82% above the global median, while Bali is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ballina
Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.33 A$24.93
$2.76 Rp 49.7K
527.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.9 A$119
$29.80 Rp 536.4K
178.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.17 A$13.19
$4.63 Rp 83.3K
98.06%
Cappuccino
$3.90 A$5.61
$2.32 Rp 41.7K
68.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 A$4.08
$1.40 Rp 25.1K
102.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 A$3.27
$0.64 Rp 11.5K
254.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.59 A$10.93
$2.19 Rp 39.4K
246.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.44 A$10.71
$3.58 Rp 64.5K
107.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ballina
Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.66 A$3.82
$1.49 Rp 26.7K
78.52%
White Bread (500g)
$3.25 A$4.67
$2.21 Rp 39.8K
47.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.18 A$3.14
$1.17 Rp 21.1K
86.32%
Eggs
$5.69 A$8.18
$2.02 Rp 36.4K
181.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.36 A$9.15
$16.52 Rp 297.4K
-61.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.17 A$13.20
$3.68 Rp 66.2K
149.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.05 A$21.66
$11.67 Rp 210.0K
28.96%
Apples (1kg)
$3.52 A$5.07
$3.44 Rp 62.0K
2.33%
Banana (1kg)
$3.11 A$4.47
$1.46 Rp 26.2K
113.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.19 A$4.59
$2.24 Rp 40.3K
42.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.49 A$5.02
$1.82 Rp 32.8K
91.76%
Potato (1kg)
$2.69 A$3.87
$1.79 Rp 32.2K
50.28%
Onion (1kg)
$2.33 A$3.35
$2.27 Rp 40.9K
2.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.54 A$5.10
$0.99 Rp 17.8K
257.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.53 A$2.20
$0.51 Rp 9,186
200.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$42.38 A$61.0
$2.15 Rp 38.7K
1871.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.97 A$20.10
$21.44 Rp 386.0K
-34.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.81 A$6.93
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
110.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.15 A$7.41
$2.86 Rp 51.5K
80.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Ballina
Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.30 A$4.75
$0.26 Rp 4,713
1169.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$92.7 A$133
$7.97 Rp 143.5K
1062.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.54 A$5.09
$0.48 Rp 8,646
637.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.70 A$2.44
$0.43 Rp 7,705
295.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.11 A$56.3
$5.64 Rp 101.6K
593.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 A$1.80
$0.82 Rp 14.8K
52.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K A$38.6K
$23.7K Rp 426.6M
13.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K A$47.4K
$31.7K Rp 571.3M
3.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ballina
Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$216 A$311
$81.3 Rp 1.5M
165.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.56 A$45.42
$6.53 Rp 117.6K
383.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.28 A$70.9
$18.31 Rp 329.7K
169.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ballina
Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.1 A$88.0
$46.85 Rp 843.4K
30.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.31 A$24.91
$15.05 Rp 270.8K
15.02%
Cinema Ticket
$15.89 A$22.86
$3.69 Rp 66.5K
330.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ballina
Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,912 A$2,752
$445 Rp 8.0M
329.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.5K A$32.4K
$5,218 Rp 93.9M
331.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ballina
Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.3 A$116
$42.66 Rp 767.8K
88.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.6 A$79.9
$33.40 Rp 601.2K
66.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 A$147
$75.0 Rp 1.4M
36.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136 A$195
$73.7 Rp 1.3M
83.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ballina
Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,541 A$2,218
$996 Rp 17.9M
54.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,126 A$1,620
$596 Rp 10.7M
88.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,038 A$2,933
$3,054 Rp 55.0M
-33.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,001 A$2,880
$1,511 Rp 27.2M
32.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,245 A$8,987
$2,430 Rp 43.7M
156.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,569 A$6,575
$1,963 Rp 35.3M
132.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ballina
Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$220 Rp 4.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.84
13.78
-57.62%

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

Last update for Ballina: October 13, 2026

Last update for Bali: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ballina
$1.1K
Bali
$596 47% $529
Groceries & Markets
Ballina
$375
Bali
$277 26.1% $98
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ballina
$297
Bali
$106 64.2% $191
Eating Out
Ballina
$286
Bali
$90 68.6% $196
Clothing & Footwear
Ballina
$168
Bali
$101 39.8% $67
Getting Around
Ballina
$118
Bali
$12 90.1% $106
Sport & Entertainment
Ballina
$93
Bali
$54 41.6% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,541 in Ballina versus $996 in Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Ballina versus $30.00 in Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $277 – making Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Ballina
🇮🇩 Bali
🕒 Local time
04:41 4:41 AM
01:41 1:41 AM
3 h behind Ballina
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,911
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ballina Bali 4,590 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ballina
  • Bali

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
Ballina vs Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ballina or Bali?
Ballina costs about 99% more than Bali, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. 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 Ballina and in Bali?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,693 per month in Ballina and $1,854 in Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Ballina or Bali?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Ballina and in Bali?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Ballina and $30.00 in Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Ballina compared to Bali?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,462 in Ballina and $1,236 in Bali. That's a gap of about 99%.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ballina or in Bali?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,236, than in Ballina at $2,462. In Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ballina or Bali?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bali costs $1,236 versus $2,462 in Ballina. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Ballina compared to Bali?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Ballina or to Bali?
If budget matters most, go with Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ballina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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