Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dessau and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,349 a month against $1,783 in Dessau, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. The total is higher in Dessau despite lower rent and utilities.

Dessau, Germany
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Dessau
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,783
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,349
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dessau and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dessau and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,783 in Dessau versus $1,349 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Dessau $1,783
  • Ubud, Bali $1,349

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,867 in Dessau versus $2,305 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Dessau $2,867
  • Ubud, Bali $2,305

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,951 in Dessau versus $3,261 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Dessau $3,951
  • Ubud, Bali $3,261

Living in Dessau is roughly 32% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dessau
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.48 €14.77
$3.32 Rp 60.3K
396.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.5 €75.7
$35.64 Rp 646.5K
137.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.40 €13.80
$5.53 Rp 100.4K
178.48%
Cappuccino
$4.41 €3.95
$2.72 Rp 49.3K
62.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 €2.51
$1.70 Rp 30.9K
64.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.27 €3.82
$0.76 Rp 13.8K
461.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.90 €4.39
$2.65 Rp 48.1K
84.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.43 €4.87
$4.38 Rp 79.5K
23.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dessau
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 €1.20
$1.49 Rp 27.0K
-10.07%
White Bread (500g)
$2.05 €1.84
$2.28 Rp 41.3K
-10.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.85 €3.45
$1.19 Rp 21.6K
223.53%
Eggs
$3.62 €3.25
$2.04 Rp 36.9K
77.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.23 €9.17
$17.70 Rp 321.1K
-42.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.72 €10.50
$3.96 Rp 71.9K
195.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.39 €19.16
$12.19 Rp 221.1K
75.47%
Apples (1kg)
$3.31 €2.97
$3.66 Rp 66.3K
-9.56%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 €1.84
$1.52 Rp 27.5K
34.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 €1.91
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
-4.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.60 €3.23
$1.97 Rp 35.8K
82.74%
Potato (1kg)
$1.26 €1.13
$1.85 Rp 33.5K
-31.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 €0.99
$2.42 Rp 44.0K
-54.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.68 €1.51
$0.99 Rp 18.0K
69.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 €1.09
$0.51 Rp 9,313
137.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.54 €8.55
$2.22 Rp 40.3K
329.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.53 €5.85
$22.24 Rp 403.4K
-70.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 €0.97
$2.26 Rp 41.0K
-52.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 €1.50
$2.97 Rp 53.9K
-43.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Dessau
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.59 €2.32
$0.25 Rp 4,553
936.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.3 €58.5
$7.82 Rp 141.9K
734.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.01 €4.49
$0.44 Rp 7,972
1038.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.49 €2.23
$0.43 Rp 7,801
479.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.16 €29.72
$5.41 Rp 98.1K
512.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.94 €1.74
$0.82 Rp 15.0K
136.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.9K €29.5K
$23.8K Rp 432.4M
38.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.4K €35.3K
$31.7K Rp 575.9M
24.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dessau
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$279 €250
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
252.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.46 €22.81
$6.45 Rp 116.9K
294.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.1 €45.76
$18.58 Rp 337.0K
174.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dessau
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.5 €61.4
$49.48 Rp 897.5K
38.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.08 €19.79
$17.65 Rp 320.1K
25.10%
Cinema Ticket
$12.09 €10.84
$4.27 Rp 77.5K
183.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dessau
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 €276
$491 Rp 8.9M
-37.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$5,674 Rp 102.9M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dessau
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.3 €66.5
$44.64 Rp 809.7K
66.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.22 €41.42
$34.95 Rp 634.0K
32.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$134 €120
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
68.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$171 €153
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
114.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dessau
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$443 €397
$1,125 Rp 20.4M
-60.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$434 €389
$671 Rp 12.2M
-35.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$733 €657
$3,565 Rp 64.7M
-79.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$981 €879
$1,723 Rp 31.3M
-43.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,354 €3,006
$2,732 Rp 49.5M
22.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,755 €1,573
$2,284 Rp 41.4M
-23.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dessau
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,184 €1,957
$164 Rp 3.0M
1233.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.95
13.78
-71.34%

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

Last update for Dessau: October 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Dessau
$434
Ubud, Bali
$672 54.6% $237
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dessau
$355
Ubud, Bali
$104 70.7% $251
Groceries & Markets
Dessau
$322
Ubud, Bali
$288 10.3% $33
Eating Out
Dessau
$295
Ubud, Bali
$108 63.4% $187
Clothing & Footwear
Dessau
$191
Ubud, Bali
$108 43.8% $84
Getting Around
Dessau
$93
Ubud, Bali
$11 87.7% $82
Sport & Entertainment
Dessau
$93
Ubud, Bali
$58 37.4% $35

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $443 in Dessau and $1,125 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dessau pays about 13 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $84 in Dessau vs $36 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $288 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Dessau
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
07:10 7:10 AM
14:10 2:10 PM
7 h ahead of Dessau
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
68,116
74,800
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18,138 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,252 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dessau Ubud, Bali 11,640 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Dessau
  • Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Dessau vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ubud, Bali cheaper than Dessau?
Ubud, Bali is about 24% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Dessau or Ubud, Bali?
Average pay in Dessau is about 13 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Dessau and Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $443 in Dessau versus $1,125 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Dessau and in Ubud, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Dessau. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Dessau or in Ubud, Bali?
Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $36 versus $84 in Dessau. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Dessau or in Ubud, Bali?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Ubud, Bali is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is it better to live in Dessau or in Ubud, Bali?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Dessau or Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Dessau and Ubud, Bali are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Ubud, Bali wins on affordability, Dessau on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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