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 $2,268 per month in Ballina vs $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,329 per month in Ballina vs $2,540 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,389 per month in Ballina vs $3,660 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Ballina costs about 60% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ballina and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Ballina by 69%, Ubud, Bali by 6%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.55 A$23.07

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

364.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 A$108

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

136.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.64 A$13.43

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

94.75%

Cappuccino

$3.47 A$4.83

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

28.04%

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

$2.54 A$3.54

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

89.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 A$2.94

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

201.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 A$9.28

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

128.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.02 A$9.78

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

77.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 A$3.34

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

32.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 A$4.25

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

21.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 A$2.79

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

73.28%

Eggs

$5.35 A$7.45

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

117.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.81 A$8.09

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-60.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 A$11.89

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

97.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.51 A$18.82

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

11.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 A$4.62

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-13.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 A$3.90

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

79.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.20

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

6.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 A$4.40

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

35.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.50

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

31.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 A$2.95

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-3.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.18 A$4.43

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

214.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 A$2.11

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

93.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.37 A$43.71

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

844.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 A$19.63

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-40.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.45 A$6.20

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

59.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 A$7.26

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

82.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.58 A$3.60

$0.27 Rp 4,800

855.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 A$89.9

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

703.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 A$4.92

$0.46 Rp 8,150

667.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 A$2.25

$0.45 Rp 8,037

260.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.66 A$46.90

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

451.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

50.63%

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

$28.4K A$39.6K

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

8.63%

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

$22.4K A$31.2K

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-30.20%

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

$186 A$259

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

132.40%

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

$27.18 A$37.88

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

569.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 A$72.5

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

121.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.13 A$68.5

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-50.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.50 A$21.60

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

133.79%

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 A$18.07

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

212.53%

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

$1,655 A$2,306

$304 Rp 5.4M

444.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K A$16.5K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

78.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 A$96.6

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

24.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 A$71.0

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

33.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 A$136

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

9.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

35.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 A$1,760

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

25.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 A$1,457

$675 Rp 12.1M

54.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 A$2,825

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-41.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 A$2,381

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-16.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,763 A$9,424

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

138.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,391 A$7,512

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

138.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

13.28

-52.26%

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

Last update for Ballina: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,263 in Ballina versus $1,006 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 $78.0 in Ballina versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $302 – 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 60%, 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 $3,403 per month in Ballina and $2,129 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 $1,655 per month in Ballina and $304 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $1,419, than in Ballina at $2,268. 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.