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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,149 in Chiayi versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,950 in Chiayi versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,751 in Chiayi versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Chiayi costs roughly 17% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiayi is 14% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 NT$217

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

87.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.61 NT$1,311

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

25.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 NT$190

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

17.37%

Cappuccino

$2.24 NT$72.2

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

-20.57%

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

$1.16 NT$37.59

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-14.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.99

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 NT$60.8

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

-35.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 NT$96.3

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

-24.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.21 NT$104

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

80.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 NT$61.3

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

-22.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$97.9

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

163.48%

Eggs

$2.92 NT$94.2

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

21.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.98 NT$645

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

39.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.89 NT$319

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

136.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.10 NT$649

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

66.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 NT$165

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

40.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 NT$92.6

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

82.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 NT$89.0

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-1.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 NT$133

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

83.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 NT$91.5

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

42.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NT$70.2

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-4.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NT$60.6

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

79.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$42.92

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

68.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 NT$131

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

27.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.78 NT$154

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-79.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 NT$58.0

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-38.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 NT$78.3

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

-11.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 NT$27.07

$0.27 Rp 4,813

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.58 NT$1,278

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

372.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 NT$94.6

$0.45 Rp 8,167

551.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 NT$13.43

$0.46 Rp 8,298

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.02 NT$324

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

65.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$33.56

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

20.93%

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

$37.9K NT$1.2M

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

42.47%

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

$27.4K NT$883.6K

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

-15.93%

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

$72.4 NT$2,338

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-8.39%

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

$19.02 NT$614

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

365.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.90 NT$804

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

4.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 NT$1,205

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-62.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.33 NT$495

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

141.42%

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 NT$387

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

198.75%

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

$644 NT$20.8K

$297 Rp 5.4M

116.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K NT$596.1K

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

179.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 NT$1,907

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

10.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.77 NT$1,058

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

-14.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 NT$2,969

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

3.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NT$3,987

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

61.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 NT$13.8K

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-58.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 NT$9,369

$680 Rp 12.3M

-57.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 NT$33.6K

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

-69.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$720 NT$23.3K

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

-65.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,045 NT$98.3K

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

11.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,834 NT$59.2K

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

-20.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,116 NT$68.3K

$164 Rp 3.0M

1192.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

13.28

-83.51%

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

Last update for Chiayi: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $426 in Chiayi and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 1193% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Chiayi vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 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

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

Chiayi wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiayi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1193% higher in Chiayi, 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: $426 in Chiayi versus $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,149 per month in Chiayi versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiayi runs roughly 373% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,149 in Chiayi versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiayi but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Chiayi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiayi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,149 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiayi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiayi 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 Chiayi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.