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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Carolina versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,944 in Carolina versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,633 in Carolina versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Carolina costs roughly 13% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Carolina is 6% below, Ubud, Bali is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.01 $17.01

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

376.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

146.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 $9.46

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

86.59%

Cappuccino

$3.27 $3.27

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

15.55%

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

$1.70 $1.70

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

26.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

1.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

36.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

37.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

90.76%

Eggs

$5.74 $5.74

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

136.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.66 $8.66

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

-40.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.55 $8.55

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

104.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 $12.88

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

7.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 $5.85

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

58.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

62.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

41.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

73.39%

Potato (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

110.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

38.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

181.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

162.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.13 $11.13

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

255.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

-9.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

10.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.29 Rp 5,010

165.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,834

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.42 Rp 7,278

264.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.83 $14.83

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

140.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

34.52%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

35.13%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

-19.53%

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

$321 $321

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

309.19%

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

$80.4 $80.4

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

1936.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.4 $71.4

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

192.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.30 $11.30

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-88.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 $11.68

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

189.11%

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

$471 $471

$303 Rp 5.2M

55.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

60.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.10 $45.10

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

-16.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 $56.0

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

47.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 $91.7

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

5.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

35.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 $446

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

-55.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 $1,792

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-47.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,708 $1,708

$173 Rp 3.0M

886.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

13.28

-57.00%

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

Last update for Carolina: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $446 in Carolina and $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carolina pays 887% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $80.0 in Carolina vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $298 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

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

Carolina wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Carolina the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Carolina pays 887% 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: $446 in Carolina versus $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $471 in Carolina versus $303 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Carolina – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,256 in Carolina versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Carolina but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Carolina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Carolina delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,256 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Carolina hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Carolina 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 Carolina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.