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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $988 per month in Benares vs $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,582 per month in Benares vs $2,549 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,177 per month in Benares vs $3,694 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Benares is about 30% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Benares sits 27% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.41 MUR 302

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

79.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.06 MUR 2,075

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

35.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 MUR 307

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

33.95%

Cappuccino

$2.65 MUR 125

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

-3.64%

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

$1.01 MUR 47.71

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-23.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 MUR 26.17

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 MUR 101

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

-26.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 MUR 130

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

-27.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 MUR 70.3

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

-12.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 31.30

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

-73.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MUR 62.7

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

10.83%

Eggs

$2.34 MUR 110

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

-4.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 MUR 457

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

-32.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.09 MUR 287

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

41.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 MUR 501

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

-12.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 MUR 93.1

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

-46.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 MUR 93.1

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

27.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 MUR 68.3

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

-48.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 MUR 123

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

12.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 MUR 47.74

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

-48.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 MUR 44.92

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-58.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 MUR 40.43

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-18.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MUR 24.69

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

-28.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 MUR 279

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

80.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.62 MUR 453

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-57.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MUR 82.2

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-38.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 MUR 99.1

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-24.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 MUR 47.46

$0.29 Rp 5,217

248.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 MUR 209

$0.45 Rp 8,047

884.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 MUR 125

$0.45 Rp 8,094

488.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.59 MUR 734

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

149.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MUR 68.3

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

70.59%

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

$36.1K MUR 1.7M

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

38.81%

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

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

-8.87%

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

$48.72 MUR 2,294

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

-39.67%

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

$18.00 MUR 848

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

343.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.52 MUR 1,532

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

33.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.81 MUR 1,781

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

-61.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 MUR 281

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

47.52%

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

$154 MUR 7,261

$304 Rp 5.4M

-49.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,916 MUR 184.4K

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

-40.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.65 MUR 2,338

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

-8.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.37 MUR 2,089

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

14.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 MUR 3,934

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

-3.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 MUR 3,688

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

2.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MUR 24.1K

$986 Rp 17.7M

-48.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 MUR 16.7K

$658 Rp 11.8M

-46.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$935 MUR 44.0K

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

-72.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 MUR 34.1K

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

-64.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

13.28

-52.94%

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

Last update for Benares: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $511 in Benares versus $986 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 $44.00 in Benares versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $215 in Benares vs $297 in Ubud, Bali – so Benares wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $988 in Benares, $1,404 in Ubud, Bali – roughly 42% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,481 per month in Benares and $2,106 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Benares and $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Benares, where all-in costs run around $988, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. In Benares it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Benares has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $988 in Benares to $1,404 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Benares. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.