Cost of Living Comparison Between Chapel Hill, NC and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Chapel Hill, NC and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,640 in Chapel Hill, NC versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,962 in Chapel Hill, NC versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,284 in Chapel Hill, NC versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Chapel Hill, NC is roughly 86% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chapel Hill, NC 97% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.13 $15.13

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

325.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.1 $80.1

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

144.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 $9.90

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

100.00%

Cappuccino

$4.25 $4.25

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

56.83%

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

$2.43 $2.43

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

81.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

170.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

104.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 $6.84

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

72.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-51.38%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

63.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

267.24%

Eggs

$4.47 $4.47

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

81.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.88 $16.88

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

14.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.38 $14.38

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

232.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.95 $11.95

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-1.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

50.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

-3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

104.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

75.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

42.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

27.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

71.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

120.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.90 $6.90

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

107.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.80 $12.80

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-46.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

-39.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

-17.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.27 Rp 4,800

655.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$0.46 Rp 8,150

541.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 $1.83

$0.45 Rp 8,037

306.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

386.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

8.86%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

8.32%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-22.22%

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

$140 $140

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

74.81%

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

$55.6 $55.6

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

1268.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

209.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 $42.15

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-57.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$9.88 $9.88

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

138.07%

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

$1,318 $1,318

$304 Rp 5.4M

333.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.4K $24.4K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

268.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.40 $49.40

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

-11.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.26 $30.26

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

-21.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-1.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 $81.9

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,324 $1,324

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

31.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 $1,457

$675 Rp 12.1M

115.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,427 $3,427

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-0.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,709 $2,709

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

32.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 $2,683

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

-5.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,740 $2,740

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

21.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,464 $5,464

$165 Rp 3.0M

3206.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

13.28

-50.75%

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

Last update for Chapel Hill, NC: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,324 in Chapel Hill, NC and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chapel Hill, NC pays 3207% 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: $80.0 in Chapel Hill, NC vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $302 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

Chapel Hill, NC vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 86% lower than in Chapel Hill, NC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Chapel Hill, NC pays 3207% 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: $1,324 in Chapel Hill, NC versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Chapel Hill, NC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,640 per month in Chapel Hill, NC versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,640 in Chapel Hill, NC, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Chapel Hill, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,419 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chapel Hill, NC 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 86% less than in Chapel Hill, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.