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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,292 in Cheongju versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,908 in Cheongju versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,524 in Cheongju versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Cheongju costs roughly 8% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cheongju is 3% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.21 ₩10.7K

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

108.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.04 ₩55.1K

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

14.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ₩7,086

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

-1.65%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₩6,296

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

53.82%

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

$1.88 ₩2,796

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

36.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 ₩2,065

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

85.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 ₩5,551

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

24.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 ₩8,532

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

48.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ₩3,114

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

20.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 ₩5,305

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

45.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 ₩2,666

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

52.99%

Eggs

$2.15 ₩3,200

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

-11.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₩15.7K

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

-27.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 ₩12.3K

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

89.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.49 ₩21.6K

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

20.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ₩4,320

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

-22.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 ₩4,284

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

76.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.47 ₩11.1K

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

172.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 ₩8,029

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

141.07%

Potato (1kg)

$5.23 ₩7,784

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

172.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,384

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

29.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 ₩2,998

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

89.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₩672

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,889

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.28 ₩19.8K

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

-42.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₩2,523

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

-38.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₩3,346

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

-17.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 ₩1,798

$0.27 Rp 4,778

348.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 ₩108.3K

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

797.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ₩3,863

$0.48 Rp 8,659

441.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,166

$0.42 Rp 7,532

85.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.21 ₩24.1K

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

160.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,798

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

49.38%

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

$27.7K ₩41.3M

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

4.24%

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

$25.3K ₩37.7M

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

-21.32%

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

$191 ₩283.9K

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

143.50%

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

$24.48 ₩36.4K

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

501.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.91 ₩22.2K

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

-38.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ₩93.0K

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-36.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.67 ₩50.1K

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

431.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 ₩10.7K

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

80.45%

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

$491 ₩730.3K

$305 Rp 5.5M

60.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ₩21.4M

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

116.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.11 ₩55.2K

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

-31.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.40 ₩72.0K

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

28.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₩133.8K

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

3.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₩161.5K

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

42.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 ₩449.9K

$992 Rp 17.8M

-69.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ₩349.5K

$673 Rp 12.1M

-65.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ₩617.5K

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

-87.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 ₩452.7K

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-85.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,336 ₩12.4M

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

197.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,224 ₩7.8M

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

134.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 ₩3.5M

$167 Rp 3.0M

1322.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

13.28

-68.22%

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

Last update for Cheongju: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $302 in Cheongju and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 1322% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Cheongju vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $297 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

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

Cheongju wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cheongju the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1322% higher in Cheongju, 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: $302 in Cheongju versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,292 per month in Cheongju versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cheongju runs roughly 798% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,292 in Cheongju versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cheongju but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Cheongju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cheongju delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,292 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cheongju hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cheongju 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 Cheongju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.