Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dongguan and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Dongguan: $815 a month against $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

39

Cost of Living Index in Dongguan
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Dongguan Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index

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Dongguan

🇨🇳 China

$815

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,353

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dongguan 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 Dongguan and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $815 in Dongguan versus $1,353 in Ubud, Bali.

Dongguan $815
Ubud, Bali $1,353

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,295 in Dongguan versus $2,297 in Ubud, Bali.

Dongguan $1,295
Ubud, Bali $2,297

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,775 in Dongguan versus $3,241 in Ubud, Bali.

Dongguan $1,775
Ubud, Bali $3,241

Living in Dongguan costs roughly 40% less than in Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dongguan is 40% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.64 ¥17.64

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

-18.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.83 ¥153

$34.88 Rp 627.8K

-34.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.20 ¥34.75

$5.70 Rp 102.5K

-8.77%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ¥17.44

$2.62 Rp 47.1K

-0.38%

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

$0.48 ¥3.18

$1.72 Rp 31.0K

-72.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.09

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

-61.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 ¥5.90

$2.65 Rp 47.7K

-66.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ¥14.88

$4.37 Rp 78.6K

-48.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥10.61

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

1.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ¥10.93

$2.19 Rp 39.5K

-25.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.50

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

-17.80%

Eggs

$1.59 ¥10.66

$2.16 Rp 38.8K

-26.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.14 ¥141

$17.65 Rp 317.7K

19.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 ¥21.96

$3.78 Rp 68.0K

-13.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 ¥95.4

$11.95 Rp 215.1K

19.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 ¥15.03

$3.60 Rp 64.8K

-37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ¥10.45

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

-1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ¥12.39

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

-19.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ¥9.98

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

-21.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ¥6.95

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-41.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.30

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

-46.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.75

$1.00 Rp 18.0K

-44.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.53 Rp 9,509

9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ¥29.79

$2.29 Rp 41.1K

94.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.18 ¥81.5

$22.07 Rp 397.3K

-44.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥6.17

$2.35 Rp 42.2K

-60.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ¥11.74

$2.98 Rp 53.6K

-40.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.23 Rp 4,112

52.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.38 ¥150

$8.90 Rp 160.2K

151.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ¥7.86

$0.47 Rp 8,466

151.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 ¥2.75

$0.43 Rp 7,737

-4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.44 ¥29.68

$5.47 Rp 98.4K

-18.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.77

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

57.83%

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

$19.3K ¥129.0K

$23.9K Rp 429.8M

-19.17%

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

$17.6K ¥117.9K

$32.8K Rp 590.1M

-46.20%

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

$63.1 ¥422

$80.0 Rp 1.4M

-21.18%

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

$9.11 ¥60.9

$6.56 Rp 118.1K

38.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.96 ¥86.7

$18.60 Rp 334.8K

-30.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥345

$54.1 Rp 974.1K

-4.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.09 ¥108

$18.28 Rp 329.0K

-11.98%

Cinema Ticket

$7.53 ¥50.3

$4.25 Rp 76.5K

77.18%

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

$531 ¥3,550

$493 Rp 8.9M

7.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K ¥162.8K

$5,597 Rp 100.7M

334.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.78 ¥313

$45.58 Rp 820.4K

2.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.30 ¥269

$34.96 Rp 629.4K

15.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 ¥485

$77.7 Rp 1.4M

-6.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.04 ¥261

$78.5 Rp 1.4M

-50.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 ¥2,538

$1,131 Rp 20.4M

-66.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 ¥1,461

$673 Rp 12.1M

-67.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 ¥4,423

$3,613 Rp 65.0M

-81.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 ¥2,884

$1,702 Rp 30.6M

-74.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,650 ¥37.8K

$2,717 Rp 48.9M

107.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,075 ¥20.6K

$2,241 Rp 40.3M

37.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$856 ¥5,725

$166 Rp 3.0M

414.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

13.78

-75.69%

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

Last update for Dongguan: October 19, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Dongguan

$248 30.4%

Ubud, Bali

$287 21.2% 15.8% $39

Accommodation & Living

Dongguan

$219 26.8%

Ubud, Bali

$673 49.7% 208% $454

Clothing & Footwear

Dongguan

$89 11%

Ubud, Bali

$107 7.9% 19.2% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dongguan

$85 10.5%

Ubud, Bali

$105 7.8% 23.5% $20

Eating Out

Dongguan

$80 9.8%

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.9% 33% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Dongguan

$67 8.2%

Ubud, Bali

$63 4.6% 6.1% $4.1

Getting Around

Dongguan

$27 3.3%

Ubud, Bali

$12 0.9% 54% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Dongguan and $1,131 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dongguan pays 415% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Dongguan vs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $287 per month, with Dongguan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Dongguan

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

21:23 9:23 PM

Same time as Dongguan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,254,100

74,800

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Dongguan Ubud, Bali 3,510 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Dongguan
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

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

Dongguan is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 415% higher in Dongguan, 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: $380 in Dongguan versus $1,131 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dongguan runs roughly 151% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $531 in Dongguan versus $493 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $815 in Dongguan versus $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dongguan but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Dongguan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Dongguan 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 Dongguan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.