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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,340 in Boston versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,459 in Boston versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,577 in Boston versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Boston is roughly 65% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Boston 75% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.04 £20.14

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

659.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 £60.1

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

146.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 £7.96

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

115.96%

Cappuccino

$4.78 £3.56

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

76.38%

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

$1.96 £1.46

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

46.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 £1.19

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.29 £3.94

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

81.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 £3.98

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

34.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 £0.90

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

-33.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 £0.45

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

-76.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 £1.20

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

38.79%

Eggs

$4.24 £3.16

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

72.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 £7.47

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

-31.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.50 £5.59

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

73.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.64 £13.14

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

45.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 £2.51

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

-12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 £1.56

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

34.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 £2.40

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

13.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 £1.95

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

12.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 £0.68

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

-51.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

-23.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.98

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

30.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 £1.31

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

126.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.42 £12.23

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

394.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.01 £6.71

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

-62.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 £2.68

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

29.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 £2.12

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

-0.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.36 £2.50

$0.27 Rp 4,819

1144.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.5 £65.2

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

989.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 £3.33

$0.46 Rp 8,181

873.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 £0.99

$0.45 Rp 8,068

195.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.33 £17.37

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

282.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.46

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

148.10%

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

$39.0K £29.0K

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

48.95%

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

$41.8K £31.2K

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

30.26%

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

$396 £295

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

395.75%

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

$17.78 £13.24

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

337.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.61 £26.52

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

51.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.53 £34.65

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-52.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

Cinema Ticket

$10.53 £7.84

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

153.73%

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

$1,785 £1,329

$304 Rp 5.4M

487.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K £13.4K

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

172.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 £40.00

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

-3.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 £40.50

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

41.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 £52.6

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-20.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.9 £46.09

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-20.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 £920

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

22.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 £743

$675 Rp 12.1M

47.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 £1,506

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

-41.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,711 £1,275

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

-16.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 £3,759

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

77.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,699 £2,011

$165 Rp 3.0M

1533.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

13.28

-55.57%

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

Last update for Boston: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,235 in Boston and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boston pays 1534% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81.0 in Boston vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $302, with Boston cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 65% lower than in Boston. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Boston pays 1534% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,235 in Boston versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,340 per month in Boston versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 989% less than in Boston. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,340 in Boston, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Boston. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,419 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Boston and Ubud, Bali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Boston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.