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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,583 per month in Cairns vs $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,813 per month in Cairns vs $2,334 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,042 per month in Cairns vs $3,273 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Cairns costs about 85% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cairns and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Cairns by 88%, Ubud, Bali by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 A$25.30

$3.37 Rp 59.8K

436.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 A$142

$38.59 Rp 683.8K

163.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.76 A$17.85

$5.52 Rp 97.8K

131.16%

Cappuccino

$4.60 A$6.44

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

74.24%

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

$3.23 A$4.52

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

93.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 A$3.87

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

258.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 A$9.97

$2.63 Rp 46.7K

171.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.38 A$11.72

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

95.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 A$2.76

$1.55 Rp 27.4K

27.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 A$3.87

$2.22 Rp 39.4K

24.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 A$3.66

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

131.86%

Eggs

$5.44 A$7.61

$2.09 Rp 37.0K

160.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 A$13.34

$17.39 Rp 308.2K

-45.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.28 A$19.97

$3.87 Rp 68.5K

268.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 A$21.41

$12.55 Rp 222.4K

21.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 A$5.72

$3.62 Rp 64.1K

12.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.96

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

81.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 A$5.14

$2.35 Rp 41.7K

56.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.83 A$8.15

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

183.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.74

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

41.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 A$3.61

$2.34 Rp 41.4K

10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 A$3.99

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

176.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 A$3.62

$0.55 Rp 9,830

370.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.99 A$62.9

$2.25 Rp 39.9K

1899.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.49 A$20.27

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

-39.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 A$4.98

$2.31 Rp 41.0K

54.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 A$7.71

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

96.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.55 A$4.97

$0.27 Rp 4,827

1214.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.04 A$22.44

$8.66 Rp 153.5K

85.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 A$3.77

$0.48 Rp 8,533

462.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 A$2.77

$0.45 Rp 7,904

340.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.74 A$61.2

$5.72 Rp 101.4K

664.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 A$1.71

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

61.84%

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

$31.4K A$43.9K

$24.5K Rp 433.9M

28.09%

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

$42.2K A$59.1K

$32.1K Rp 569.3M

31.48%

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

$165 A$231

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

98.04%

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

$35.34 A$49.43

$6.46 Rp 114.4K

447.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 A$96.8

$18.99 Rp 336.6K

264.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.13 A$64.5

$56.0 Rp 992.0K

-17.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.53 A$39.91

$18.62 Rp 329.9K

53.22%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 A$20.36

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

239.95%

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

$2,156 A$3,016

$487 Rp 8.6M

343.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K A$19.9K

$5,856 Rp 103.8M

143.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.2 A$130

$45.56 Rp 807.4K

104.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.3 A$102

$36.38 Rp 644.7K

101.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 A$174

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

51.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

70.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,517 A$2,122

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

35.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 A$1,755

$701 Rp 12.4M

78.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,315 A$3,239

$3,537 Rp 62.7M

-34.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,985 A$2,777

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

12.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,709 A$9,385

$2,826 Rp 50.1M

137.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,173 A$7,237

$2,292 Rp 40.6M

125.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,565 A$6,385

$170 Rp 3.0M

2588.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

13.78

-54.14%

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

Last update for Cairns: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,517 in Cairns versus $1,117 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 2589% higher in Cairns, 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 $102 in Cairns versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $293 – making Ubud, Bali 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

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

Cairns costs about 85% more than Ubud, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,875 per month in Cairns and $2,095 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Cairns, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Cairns and $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,396, than in Cairns at $2,583. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cairns it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,396 versus $2,583 in Cairns. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cairns makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.