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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,646 per month in Ballina vs $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,823 per month in Ballina vs $2,334 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,000 per month in Ballina vs $3,273 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Ballina costs about 89% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ballina and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Ballina by 93%, Ubud, Bali by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 A$24.53

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

424.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.1 A$120

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

123.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.12 A$15.44

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

101.45%

Cappuccino

$3.97 A$5.51

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

50.38%

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

$3.00 A$4.17

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

79.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 A$3.16

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

196.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 A$11.04

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

202.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.41 A$10.29

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

73.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.76 A$3.83

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

78.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.33 A$4.63

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.22

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

105.31%

Eggs

$5.66 A$7.86

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

170.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 A$9.15

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

-62.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.10

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

143.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.81 A$20.55

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

18.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 A$4.84

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

-3.87%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 A$4.18

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

92.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 A$4.59

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

40.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 A$4.91

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

71.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.72

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

41.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 A$3.43

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.50 A$4.86

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

239.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 A$2.29

$0.55 Rp 9,779

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$39.96 A$55.5

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

1676.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 A$19.51

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

-40.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.99 A$6.93

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

116.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 A$7.34

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

88.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.46 A$4.80

$0.27 Rp 4,802

1181.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.2 A$129

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

976.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 A$4.91

$0.48 Rp 8,489

637.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 A$2.01

$0.45 Rp 7,863

222.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.39 A$56.1

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

606.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 A$1.71

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

61.84%

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

$28.5K A$39.6K

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

16.48%

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

$28.0K A$38.9K

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

-12.80%

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

$206 A$286

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

146.40%

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

$29.67 A$41.17

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

359.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 A$73.2

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

177.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.8 A$91.3

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

17.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.08 A$29.26

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

13.21%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 A$20.20

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

239.95%

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

$2,404 A$3,337

$487 Rp 8.6M

394.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K A$27.4K

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

237.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 A$96.8

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

53.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.7 A$80.0

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

58.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 A$171

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

50.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$181

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

62.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,364 A$1,893

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

22.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 A$1,605

$701 Rp 12.4M

64.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,432 A$3,375

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

-31.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,853 A$2,571

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

5.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,466 A$8,974

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

128.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,364 A$7,445

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

134.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

13.78

-57.55%

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

Last update for Ballina: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,364 in Ballina versus $1,117 in Ubud, 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 $86.0 in Ballina versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $381 vs $293 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ballina is pricier by about 89%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,969 per month in Ballina and $2,095 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $2,404 per month in Ballina and $487 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Ballina, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,396, than in Ballina at $2,646. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, 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.