Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chennai (Madras) and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Chennai (Madras): $414 a month against $1,348 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

20

Cost of Living Index in Chennai (Madras)
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Chennai (Madras) Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index

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Chennai (Madras)

🇮🇳 India

$414

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,348

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chennai (Madras) and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chennai (Madras) and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $414 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $1,348 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Chennai (Madras) $414
Ubud, Bali $1,348

A couple spends around $686 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $2,312 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Chennai (Madras) $686
Ubud, Bali $2,312

A family of three spends $958 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $3,276 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Chennai (Madras) $958
Ubud, Bali $3,276

Chennai (Madras) is about 69% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Chennai (Madras) sits 69% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ₹204

$3.33 Rp 59.6K

-36.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.22 ₹1,182

$35.42 Rp 633.1K

-65.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.03 ₹390

$5.76 Rp 102.9K

-30.03%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ₹175

$2.63 Rp 47.0K

-31.18%

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

$0.35 ₹33.91

$1.74 Rp 31.0K

-79.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₹17.48

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

-76.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₹148

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

-43.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ₹296

$4.52 Rp 80.8K

-32.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 ₹58.7

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

-60.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ₹48.59

$2.20 Rp 39.2K

-77.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 ₹67.7

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

-42.62%

Eggs

$0.84 ₹81.2

$2.14 Rp 38.2K

-60.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.85 ₹566

$17.73 Rp 316.9K

-67.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 ₹308

$3.86 Rp 68.9K

-17.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 Rp 215.0K

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ₹268

$3.61 Rp 64.5K

-23.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹77.1

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

-47.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 ₹140

$2.32 Rp 41.4K

-37.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 ₹43.98

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

-77.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ₹44.96

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

-74.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ₹41.15

$2.39 Rp 42.7K

-82.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 ₹51.3

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

-46.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₹26.94

$0.52 Rp 9,373

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.88 ₹472

$2.18 Rp 39.0K

123.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 ₹718

$22.98 Rp 410.7K

-67.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ₹175

$2.40 Rp 42.8K

-24.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₹257

$3.00 Rp 53.6K

-11.67%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.73 ₹651

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₹28.75

$0.24 Rp 4,255

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.50 ₹1,016

$6.99 Rp 125.0K

50.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ₹98.6

$0.44 Rp 7,876

131.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₹31.04

$0.42 Rp 7,582

-23.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 ₹200

$5.45 Rp 97.4K

-62.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₹108

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

32.14%

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

$15.3K ₹1.5M

$24.3K Rp 434.8M

-37.06%

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

$19.7K ₹1.9M

$31.9K Rp 570.0M

-38.30%

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

$37.61 ₹3,640

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

-53.47%

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

$4.04 ₹391

$6.58 Rp 117.6K

-38.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.79 ₹754

$18.24 Rp 326.1K

-57.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.70 ₹1,229

$55.1 Rp 985.4K

-76.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.65 ₹644

$18.51 Rp 330.9K

-64.07%

Cinema Ticket

$2.58 ₹250

$4.24 Rp 75.9K

-39.15%

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

$87.9 ₹8,504

$486 Rp 8.7M

-81.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,126 ₹205.8K

$5,676 Rp 101.5M

-62.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.26 ₹1,961

$45.18 Rp 807.6K

-55.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.93 ₹1,639

$34.57 Rp 617.9K

-51.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.70 ₹3,455

$79.2 Rp 1.4M

-54.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.95 ₹2,898

$77.6 Rp 1.4M

-61.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₹17.2K

$1,127 Rp 20.1M

-84.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 ₹9,893

$674 Rp 12.1M

-84.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 ₹48.0K

$3,618 Rp 64.7M

-86.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₹28.8K

$1,735 Rp 31.0M

-82.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,083 ₹201.6K

$2,829 Rp 50.6M

-26.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$769 ₹74.4K

$2,307 Rp 41.2M

-66.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$656 ₹63.5K

$166 Rp 3.0M

296.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.99

13.78

-27.50%

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

Last update for Chennai (Madras): October 3, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Chennai (Madras)

$114 27.8%

Ubud, Bali

$290 21.4% 154% $176

Accommodation & Living

Chennai (Madras)

$102 24.9%

Ubud, Bali

$674 49.6% 559% $572

Eating Out

Chennai (Madras)

$67 16.2%

Ubud, Bali

$108 8% 62.3% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chennai (Madras)

$49 12%

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.8% 114% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Chennai (Madras)

$46 11.3%

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.8% 130% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Chennai (Madras)

$18 4.4%

Ubud, Bali

$64 4.7% 256% $46

Getting Around

Chennai (Madras)

$14 3.5%

Ubud, Bali

$11 0.8% 26.6% $3.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $178 in Chennai (Madras) versus $1,127 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 296% higher in Chennai (Madras), which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Chennai (Madras) versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $114 vs $290 – making Chennai (Madras) the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Chennai (Madras)

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

16:02 4:02 PM

18:32 6:32 PM

2 h 30 min ahead of Chennai (Madras)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,681,087

74,800

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.33 USD

1,000 INR = 9.22 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.78 INR (100 INR = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 108 INR (1,000 INR = 9.22 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,875 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,030 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR).

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chennai (Madras) Ubud, Bali 4,550 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Chennai (Madras)
Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Chennai (Madras) vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 226% more than Chennai (Madras), and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $621 per month in Chennai (Madras) and $2,022 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chennai (Madras), especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $414 in Chennai (Madras) and $1,348 in Ubud, Bali. That's a gap of about 226%.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Chennai (Madras). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chennai (Madras), where all-in costs run around $414, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,348. In Chennai (Madras) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chennai (Madras) costs $414 versus $1,348 in Ubud, Bali. 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 Chennai (Madras). 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.