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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $805 in Dongguan versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,260 in Dongguan versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,716 in Dongguan versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Dongguan costs roughly 42% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dongguan is 41% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.17 ¥14.53

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

-35.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.45 ¥150

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

-41.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.17 ¥34.62

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

-6.34%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ¥16.87

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

-4.55%

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

$0.51 ¥3.43

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

-69.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.93

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-62.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.89 ¥5.94

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

-66.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ¥14.70

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

-48.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥10.36

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 ¥11.28

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

-24.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.40

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

-15.93%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.18

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

-20.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.69 ¥139

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

18.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 ¥24.04

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

-7.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 ¥98.2

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

16.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 ¥14.78

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

-38.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.68

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.44

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

-20.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.53

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

-31.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.12

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

-36.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 ¥9.84

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-37.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ¥3.68

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

-46.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.59

$0.55 Rp 9,779

-1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ¥30.14

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

100.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.28 ¥82.3

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

-48.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.07

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

-60.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ¥12.23

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

-34.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ¥2.57

$0.27 Rp 4,802

40.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.70 ¥152

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

162.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ¥8.10

$0.48 Rp 8,489

152.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.69

$0.45 Rp 7,863

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 ¥30.77

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

-19.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥8.19

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

60.53%

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

$19.5K ¥130.4K

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

-20.50%

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

$18.2K ¥122.0K

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

-43.32%

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

$63.1 ¥423

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

-24.43%

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

$9.28 ¥62.2

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

43.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.74 ¥85.4

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

-32.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.7 ¥347

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

-7.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.26 ¥109

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

-12.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.59 ¥50.9

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

77.34%

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

$529 ¥3,542

$487 Rp 8.6M

8.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ¥157.9K

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

302.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.53 ¥211

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

-30.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 ¥265

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

8.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 ¥463

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

-15.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.86 ¥274

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-49.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$374 ¥2,508

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

-66.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 ¥1,479

$701 Rp 12.4M

-68.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 ¥4,396

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

-81.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 ¥2,809

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

-76.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,558 ¥37.2K

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

96.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,047 ¥20.4K

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

32.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$844 ¥5,656

$170 Rp 3.0M

397.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

13.78

-75.33%

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

Last update for Dongguan: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $374 in Dongguan and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dongguan pays 397% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22.00 in Dongguan vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $293 per month, with Dongguan 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

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

Dongguan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 397% 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: $374 in Dongguan versus $1,117 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 162% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $529 in Dongguan versus $487 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $805 in Dongguan versus $1,396 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 73% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.