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: $718 in Colombo versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,153 in Colombo versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,588 in Colombo versus $3,763 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 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 LKR 1,366

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

17.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.28 LKR 8,494

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

-21.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,891

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

77.69%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 909

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

-1.45%

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

$0.69 LKR 232

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

-46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 764

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

-24.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,099

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

-15.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 571

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

-2.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

-77.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 295

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

-24.79%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 721

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

-11.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 LKR 4,663

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

-4.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,606

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

9.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 LKR 2,717

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

-32.47%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 LKR 2,571

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

105.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

-34.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 LKR 1,964

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

113.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 421

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

-44.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 384

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

-40.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 458

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

-40.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 403

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

13.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 190

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 LKR 3,358

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

203.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 LKR 4,267

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

-45.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 702

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-24.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 974

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

6.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 54.7

$0.27 Rp 4,786

-40.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.93 LKR 1,657

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

-39.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$0.48 Rp 8,675

-20.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 119

$0.42 Rp 7,545

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 207

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

-90.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 401

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

46.91%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

2.15%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

6.46%

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

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-23.93%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,444

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

5.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 LKR 5,166

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

-36.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.83 LKR 4,984

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-84.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.39 LKR 2,485

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

16.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,104

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

-17.79%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

$305 Rp 5.5M

-88.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 148.5K

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

-93.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.73 LKR 9,320

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

-48.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 LKR 6,426

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

-49.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-20.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-48.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.6K

$992 Rp 17.8M

-62.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 LKR 58.0K

$673 Rp 12.1M

-74.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 LKR 326.2K

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

-71.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 124.0K

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-82.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

27.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

-48.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 LKR 84.2K

$167 Rp 3.0M

50.08%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $992 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $297 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 96% 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.

Average pay runs 50% higher in Colombo, 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: $368 in Colombo versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $718 in Colombo versus $1,408 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 $718 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 96% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.