Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boulder, CO and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,353 a month against $3,518 in Boulder, CO, rent and utilities included – about $26,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Boulder, CO
🇺🇸 United States
$3,518
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,353
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Boulder, CO and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Boulder, CO and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,518 per month in Boulder, CO vs $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Boulder, CO $3,518
  • Ubud, Bali $1,353

A couple spends around $5,103 per month in Boulder, CO vs $2,297 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Boulder, CO $5,103
  • Ubud, Bali $2,297

A family of three spends $6,689 per month in Boulder, CO vs $3,241 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Boulder, CO $6,689
  • Ubud, Bali $3,241

Boulder, CO costs about 160% more than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Boulder, CO and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Boulder, CO by 160%, Ubud, Bali by 0%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Boulder, CO
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.81 $19.81
$3.23 Rp 58.1K
513.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.3 $79.3
$34.88 Rp 627.8K
127.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.07 $15.07
$5.70 Rp 102.5K
164.39%
Cappuccino
$5.56 $5.56
$2.62 Rp 47.1K
112.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70 $3.70
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
115.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 $2.88
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
255.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.09 $7.09
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
167.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.84 $8.84
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
102.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Boulder, CO
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 $1.18
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
-24.84%
White Bread (500g)
$5.55 $5.55
$2.19 Rp 39.5K
153.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.50 $6.50
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
450.85%
Eggs
$5.53 $5.53
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
156.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.85 $11.85
$17.65 Rp 317.7K
-32.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.91 $10.91
$3.78 Rp 68.0K
188.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.35 $17.35
$11.95 Rp 215.1K
45.19%
Apples (1kg)
$5.93 $5.93
$3.60 Rp 64.8K
64.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.59 Rp 28.6K
-8.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.35 $6.35
$2.31 Rp 41.6K
174.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.09 $6.09
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
218.85%
Potato (1kg)
$3.92 $3.92
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
120.22%
Onion (1kg)
$3.84 $3.84
$2.33 Rp 41.9K
64.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.35 $3.35
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
235.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.65 $2.65
$0.53 Rp 9,509
400.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.24 $10.24
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
347.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.23 $17.23
$22.07 Rp 397.3K
-21.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 $1.86
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
-20.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 $4.94
$2.98 Rp 53.6K
65.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Boulder, CO
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.82 $2.82
$0.23 Rp 4,112
1126.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$152 $152
$8.90 Rp 160.2K
1606.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.43 $2.43
$0.47 Rp 8,466
417.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 $1.38
$0.43 Rp 7,737
220.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.21 $24.21
$5.47 Rp 98.4K
342.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 $1.08
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
30.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K $27.5K
$23.9K Rp 429.8M
15.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K $26.9K
$32.8K Rp 590.1M
-17.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Boulder, CO
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$279 $279
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
248.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$72.1 $72.1
$6.56 Rp 118.1K
999.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.2 $74.2
$18.60 Rp 334.8K
298.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Boulder, CO
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$83.1 $83.1
$54.1 Rp 974.1K
53.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.21 $20.21
$18.28 Rp 329.0K
10.56%
Cinema Ticket
$16.72 $16.72
$4.25 Rp 76.5K
293.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Boulder, CO
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,633 $1,633
$493 Rp 8.9M
231.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.2K $31.2K
$5,597 Rp 100.7M
457.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Boulder, CO
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.2 $69.2
$45.58 Rp 820.4K
51.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.21 $48.21
$34.96 Rp 629.4K
37.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.2 $92.2
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
18.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$144 $144
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
82.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Boulder, CO
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,374 $2,374
$1,131 Rp 20.4M
109.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,825 $1,825
$673 Rp 12.1M
171.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,307 $4,307
$3,613 Rp 65.0M
19.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,069 $3,069
$1,702 Rp 30.6M
80.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,420 $4,420
$2,717 Rp 48.9M
62.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,495 $4,495
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
100.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Boulder, CO
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,629 $5,629
$166 Rp 3.0M
3283.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.55
13.78
-52.47%

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

Last update for Boulder, CO: October 17, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Boulder, CO
$1.8K
Ubud, Bali
$673 63.1% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Boulder, CO
$470
Ubud, Bali
$287 38.9% $183
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Boulder, CO
$425
Ubud, Bali
$105 75.3% $320
Eating Out
Boulder, CO
$350
Ubud, Bali
$106 69.6% $243
Getting Around
Boulder, CO
$173
Ubud, Bali
$12 92.8% $160
Clothing & Footwear
Boulder, CO
$159
Ubud, Bali
$107 33% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Boulder, CO
$117
Ubud, Bali
$63 46.3% $54

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,374 in Boulder, CO versus $1,131 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.

Salaries run about 3284% higher in Boulder, CO, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Boulder, CO versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $470 vs $287 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Boulder, CO
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
04:50 4:50 AM
18:50 6:50 PM
14 h ahead of Boulder, CO
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
106,803
74,800
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Boulder, CO Ubud, Bali 14,670 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Boulder, CO
  • Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Boulder, CO vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ubud, Bali cheaper than Boulder, CO?
Yes – Boulder, CO is pricier by about 160%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,277 per month in Boulder, CO and $2,030 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
How do food prices compare in Boulder, CO and in Ubud, Bali?
Groceries cost about 64% more in Boulder, CO, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Boulder, CO or in Ubud, Bali?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Boulder, CO and $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Boulder, CO or in Ubud, Bali?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,353, than in Boulder, CO at $3,518. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Boulder, CO it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Boulder, CO or Ubud, Bali more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Boulder, CO or Ubud, Bali?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Boulder, CO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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