Cost of Living Comparison Between Byron Bay and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Byron Bay and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,460 in Byron Bay versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,481 in Byron Bay versus $2,361 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,502 in Byron Bay versus $3,330 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Byron Bay is roughly 77% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Byron Bay 81% above, Ubud, Bali 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 A$24.99

$3.30 Rp 59.5K

433.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.1 A$112

$38.59 Rp 695.8K

105.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.34 A$16.09

$5.53 Rp 99.7K

105.06%

Cappuccino

$3.84 A$5.44

$2.62 Rp 47.3K

46.56%

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

$1.44 A$2.04

$1.59 Rp 28.7K

-9.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 A$3.52

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

226.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 A$11.53

$2.62 Rp 47.3K

210.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 A$11.60

$4.25 Rp 76.7K

92.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 A$2.22

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

-0.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 A$3.82

$2.30 Rp 41.4K

17.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 A$3.17

$1.04 Rp 18.7K

114.42%

Eggs

$5.11 A$7.25

$2.07 Rp 37.3K

146.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.14 A$12.97

$17.61 Rp 317.6K

-48.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.80 A$12.48

$3.97 Rp 71.6K

121.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 A$19.87

$11.99 Rp 216.1K

16.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 A$5.51

$3.53 Rp 63.6K

10.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 A$4.13

$1.60 Rp 28.8K

81.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 A$4.18

$2.33 Rp 42.0K

26.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 A$7.07

$1.94 Rp 35.0K

156.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 A$3.90

$1.79 Rp 32.4K

53.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 A$3.24

$2.26 Rp 40.7K

1.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 A$3.41

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

145.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 A$1.96

$0.52 Rp 9,355

165.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$33.79 A$47.93

$2.31 Rp 41.7K

1362.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.77 A$18.11

$23.35 Rp 421.0K

-45.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.24 A$7.44

$2.26 Rp 40.8K

131.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 A$6.79

$2.81 Rp 50.7K

70.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 A$4.29

$0.27 Rp 4,891

1022.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.6 A$114

$9.16 Rp 165.1K

780.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 A$4.25

$0.44 Rp 8,011

579.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 A$2.62

$0.43 Rp 7,841

330.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.80 A$57.9

$5.51 Rp 99.3K

640.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 A$1.96

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

74.68%

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

$27.5K A$39.1K

$23.9K Rp 430.2M

15.40%

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

$24.4K A$34.6K

$30.6K Rp 552.6M

-20.46%

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

$173 A$245

$81.5 Rp 1.5M

112.05%

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

$14.09 A$19.99

$6.31 Rp 113.8K

123.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 A$60.5

$18.30 Rp 330.0K

133.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 A$79.7

$54.0 Rp 973.3K

4.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.05 A$25.61

$17.89 Rp 322.7K

0.89%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 A$19.91

$4.24 Rp 76.5K

231.13%

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

$2,104 A$2,984

$482 Rp 8.7M

336.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K A$18.8K

$5,756 Rp 103.8M

129.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 A$100

$44.99 Rp 811.3K

57.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.94 A$29.71

$34.88 Rp 628.9K

-39.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 A$97.9

$78.2 Rp 1.4M

-11.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 A$153

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

36.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 A$1,957

$1,148 Rp 20.7M

20.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 A$1,740

$688 Rp 12.4M

78.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,220 A$3,150

$3,619 Rp 65.3M

-38.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,872 A$2,656

$1,723 Rp 31.1M

8.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,511 A$9,237

$2,783 Rp 50.2M

133.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,065 A$7,185

$2,238 Rp 40.3M

126.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,918 A$6,977

$169 Rp 3.0M

2810.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-63.72%

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

Last update for Byron Bay: August 4, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,379 in Byron Bay and $1,148 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byron Bay pays 2810% 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: $79.0 in Byron Bay vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $290 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

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

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

Byron Bay and Ubud, Bali differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($2,460 vs $1,392 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2810% higher in Byron Bay, 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: $1,379 in Byron Bay versus $1,148 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,460 per month in Byron Bay versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 780% less than in Byron Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,460 in Byron Bay, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Byron Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Byron Bay 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 77% less than in Byron Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.