Cost of Living Comparison Between Buon Ma Thuot and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Buon Ma Thuot and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $730 per month in Buon Ma Thuot vs $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,114 per month in Buon Ma Thuot vs $2,557 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,499 per month in Buon Ma Thuot vs $3,723 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Buon Ma Thuot is about 48% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Buon Ma Thuot sits 45% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.93 ₫50.8K

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

-45.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.29 ₫297.2K

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

-65.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.30 ₫113.2K

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

-14.17%

Cappuccino

$0.99 ₫26.2K

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

-64.89%

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

$0.36 ₫9,514

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-73.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₫7,903

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

-58.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ₫33.3K

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

-56.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₫33.5K

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

-67.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ₫37.7K

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

-19.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₫26.1K

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

-59.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₫24.8K

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

-18.26%

Eggs

$1.48 ₫39.0K

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

-38.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.52 ₫303.3K

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

-19.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ₫94.6K

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

-14.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.19 ₫268.3K

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

-15.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 ₫69.6K

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

-27.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ₫26.6K

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-35.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ₫35.7K

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

-51.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.5K

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.3K

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

-47.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ₫26.7K

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

-55.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₫15.5K

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

-43.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.5K

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-35.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.30 ₫34.3K

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

-59.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.90 ₫260.6K

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

-57.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₫19.8K

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

-74.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₫43.1K

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

-40.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₫8,292

$0.27 Rp 4,821

18.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.64 ₫174.8K

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

-20.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₫19.5K

$0.45 Rp 8,180

64.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₫16.1K

$0.46 Rp 8,311

32.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 ₫75.1K

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

-53.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ₫23.6K

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

4.65%

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

$35.7K ₫940.2M

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

34.36%

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

$32.1K ₫845.9M

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

-1.27%

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

$76.4 ₫2.0M

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-3.32%

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

$6.02 ₫158.5K

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

47.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.52 ₫224.2K

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

-64.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.47 ₫565.1K

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-78.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.61 ₫200.4K

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

19.84%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 ₫80.3K

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

-23.94%

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

$267 ₫7.0M

$297 Rp 5.4M

-10.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K ₫307.3M

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

76.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.30 ₫1.1M

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

-24.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.62 ₫621.7K

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

-38.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 ₫2.2M

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-3.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.9 ₫1.9M

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

-3.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 ₫9.3M

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-65.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 ₫6.5M

$680 Rp 12.3M

-63.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₫18.0M

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

-80.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ₫12.1M

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

-77.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,681 ₫70.6M

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

-1.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,217 ₫32.0M

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

-46.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

13.28

-31.48%

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

Last update for Buon Ma Thuot: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $352 in Buon Ma Thuot versus $1,020 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 $11.00 in Buon Ma Thuot versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $298 – making Buon Ma Thuot 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

Buon Ma Thuot vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $730 in Buon Ma Thuot, $1,392 in Ubud, Bali – roughly 91% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,095 per month in Buon Ma Thuot and $2,088 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Buon Ma Thuot, 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 $11.00 in Buon Ma Thuot and $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $730 in Buon Ma Thuot and $1,392 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Buon Ma Thuot, where all-in costs run around $730, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. In Buon Ma Thuot it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $730 in Buon Ma Thuot to $1,392 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 Buon Ma Thuot. 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.