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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,658 in Darwin versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,904 in Darwin versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,150 in Darwin versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Darwin is roughly 89% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Darwin 99% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.63 A$25.24

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

411.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.6 A$117

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

152.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.31 A$17.63

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

154.34%

Cappuccino

$3.44 A$4.93

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

25.09%

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

$2.67 A$3.82

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

93.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 A$4.52

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

321.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 A$9.49

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

121.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.63 A$10.93

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

98.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.70

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-31.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 A$3.89

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

10.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 A$3.04

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

82.05%

Eggs

$3.99 A$5.71

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

64.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 A$14.31

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

-31.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.14 A$11.65

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

87.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 A$11.79

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

-31.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 A$5.34

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

0.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 A$4.04

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

73.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 A$5.05

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

28.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 A$6.23

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

94.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.16 A$4.53

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

64.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 A$3.10

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

-4.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 A$3.14

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

106.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 A$3.47

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

236.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.00 A$35.79

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

659.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.63 A$16.66

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

-49.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$9.52 A$13.62

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

242.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 A$9.98

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

155.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 A$3.19

$0.27 Rp 4,765

725.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.01 A$64.4

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

454.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 A$4.96

$0.48 Rp 8,636

620.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 A$1.68

$0.42 Rp 7,511

180.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.83 A$65.6

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

636.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 A$1.60

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

38.27%

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

$28.4K A$40.7K

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

6.71%

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

$31.9K A$45.6K

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

-0.96%

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

$234 A$335

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

198.77%

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

$34.55 A$49.46

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

748.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 A$84.5

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

142.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 A$106

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-24.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 A$22.52

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

148.11%

Cinema Ticket

$15.89 A$22.76

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

298.25%

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

$1,537 A$2,201

$305 Rp 5.5M

403.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,811 A$11.2K

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

17.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.6 A$111

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

43.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.34 A$64.9

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

19.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$145

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

16.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 A$187

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

71.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 A$2,366

$992 Rp 17.7M

66.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 A$1,883

$673 Rp 12.0M

95.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,711 A$3,882

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

-19.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,275 A$3,256

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

10.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,800 A$5,440

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

35.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,390 A$4,854

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

52.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,224 A$6,047

$167 Rp 3.0M

2429.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

13.28

-51.81%

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

Last update for Darwin: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Darwin and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Darwin pays 2430% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $82.0 in Darwin vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $367 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

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

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2430% higher in Darwin, 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: $1,653 in Darwin versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Darwin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $82.0 in Darwin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,658 in Darwin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Darwin. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Darwin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Darwin 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Darwin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.