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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $717 in Colombo versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Colombo versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,615 in Colombo versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 49% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Colombo is 46% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 LKR 1,381

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

16.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.16 LKR 8,420

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

-23.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 LKR 2,744

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

65.66%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 890

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

-1.85%

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

$0.68 LKR 226

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

-49.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 136

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-41.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 LKR 800

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

-18.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 LKR 1,146

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

-13.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 579

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

-4.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

-78.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 276

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

-28.45%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 746

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

-9.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.02 LKR 4,690

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

-4.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,557

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

7.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 LKR 2,681

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

-34.02%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,466

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

91.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 375

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

-28.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.83 LKR 1,952

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

106.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 417

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

-46.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 382

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

-40.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 475

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

-35.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 382

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

12.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 198

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

-24.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 LKR 3,351

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

201.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 LKR 4,259

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

-46.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 706

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-24.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 994

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 LKR 48.45

$0.27 Rp 4,848

-48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,702

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

-36.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$0.46 Rp 8,230

-17.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.45 Rp 8,116

-26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 201

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

-90.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 420

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

59.49%

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

$26.8K LKR 9.0M

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

2.38%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

9.49%

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

$60.5 LKR 20.2K

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-24.32%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,429

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

5.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.34 LKR 5,133

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

-34.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.79 LKR 4,948

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-85.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.11 LKR 2,380

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

7.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,096

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

-20.96%

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

$37.28 LKR 12.5K

$304 Rp 5.5M

-87.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 148.5K

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

-93.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.15 LKR 9,084

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

-51.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.13 LKR 6,402

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

-50.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 LKR 23.7K

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-20.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.24 LKR 12.8K

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-50.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 LKR 126.9K

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

-62.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 LKR 59.6K

$675 Rp 12.2M

-73.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 LKR 313.6K

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

-72.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 LKR 120.7K

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

-82.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,724 LKR 1.2M

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

31.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,189 LKR 397.7K

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

-47.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 LKR 82.8K

$165 Rp 3.0M

49.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

13.28

23.87%

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

Last update for Colombo: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $379 in Colombo and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colombo pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Colombo vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $302 per month, with Colombo 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

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

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 98% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Colombo pays 50% 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: $379 in Colombo 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 17% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $717 in Colombo versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Colombo but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Colombo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Colombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $717 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Colombo 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 Colombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.