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 $971 per month in Benares vs $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,588 per month in Benares vs $2,585 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,206 per month in Benares vs $3,732 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Benares is about 33% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Benares sits 28% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.66 MUR 311

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

86.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.77 MUR 2,046

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

34.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.43 MUR 301

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

26.82%

Cappuccino

$2.53 MUR 118

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

-10.60%

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

$0.95 MUR 44.22

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

-29.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MUR 27.75

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

-14.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 MUR 97.2

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

-30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MUR 130

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

-28.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MUR 67.7

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MUR 32.31

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

-72.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MUR 61.5

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

10.92%

Eggs

$2.25 MUR 105

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

-7.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 MUR 470

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

-31.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.08 MUR 284

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

45.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.29 MUR 481

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

-13.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 MUR 93.1

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

-46.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 MUR 89.2

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

18.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 MUR 70.0

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

-44.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 MUR 124

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

13.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MUR 45.71

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

-48.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 MUR 43.63

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

-57.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 MUR 37.44

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

-24.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MUR 26.79

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

-20.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.12 MUR 286

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

95.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.43 MUR 394

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-64.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MUR 81.2

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

-36.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 MUR 99.3

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

-26.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 MUR 49.08

$0.29 Rp 5,010

262.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 MUR 207

$0.45 Rp 7,834

882.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 MUR 124

$0.42 Rp 7,278

533.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.14 MUR 708

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

145.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MUR 65.1

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

65.48%

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

$35.7K MUR 1.7M

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

36.07%

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

$29.3K MUR 1.4M

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

-9.92%

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

$49.48 MUR 2,313

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-36.90%

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

$18.40 MUR 860

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

365.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.71 MUR 1,529

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

34.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.61 MUR 1,805

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-60.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

Cinema Ticket

$5.98 MUR 279

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

48.02%

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

$154 MUR 7,213

$303 Rp 5.2M

-49.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,949 MUR 184.6K

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

-39.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.70 MUR 2,323

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

-7.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 MUR 2,052

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

15.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 MUR 3,843

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

-5.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 MUR 3,644

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 MUR 24.3K

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

-48.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 MUR 16.7K

$674 Rp 11.6M

-47.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$936 MUR 43.8K

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-72.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 MUR 33.3K

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

-66.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $521 in Benares versus $1,012 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 – $212 in Benares vs $298 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: $971 in Benares, $1,438 in Ubud, Bali – roughly 48% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,456 per month in Benares and $2,158 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 40% 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 $971, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. 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 $971 in Benares to $1,438 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.