Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dresden and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,349 a month against $1,950 in Dresden, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Dresden, Germany
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Dresden
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,950
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,349
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,950 in Dresden versus $1,349 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Dresden $1,950
  • Ubud, Bali $1,349

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,979 in Dresden versus $2,305 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Dresden $2,979
  • Ubud, Bali $2,305

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,008 in Dresden versus $3,261 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Dresden $4,008
  • Ubud, Bali $3,261

Living in Dresden is roughly 45% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dresden
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.79 €16.88
$3.32 Rp 59.9K
465.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.6 €75.1
$35.64 Rp 642.4K
134.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 €10.13
$5.53 Rp 99.7K
103.80%
Cappuccino
$4.19 €3.77
$2.72 Rp 49.0K
54.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57 €3.20
$1.70 Rp 30.7K
110.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 €2.82
$0.76 Rp 13.7K
311.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.01 €5.40
$2.65 Rp 47.8K
126.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.44 €5.79
$4.38 Rp 79.0K
47.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dresden
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.12
$1.49 Rp 26.9K
-16.11%
White Bread (500g)
$2.07 €1.86
$2.28 Rp 41.0K
-9.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.82 €2.53
$1.19 Rp 21.5K
136.97%
Eggs
$3.82 €3.44
$2.04 Rp 36.7K
87.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.43 €15.66
$17.70 Rp 319.1K
-1.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.73 €10.54
$3.96 Rp 71.4K
196.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.15 €19.91
$12.19 Rp 219.7K
81.71%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 €2.84
$3.66 Rp 65.9K
-13.66%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$1.52 Rp 27.4K
29.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.16 €1.94
$2.23 Rp 40.2K
-3.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.83 €3.44
$1.97 Rp 35.6K
94.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 €1.38
$1.85 Rp 33.3K
-17.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 €1.33
$2.42 Rp 43.7K
-38.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 €1.34
$0.99 Rp 17.8K
51.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 €1.12
$0.51 Rp 9,255
145.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.56 €8.59
$2.22 Rp 40.0K
330.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.74 €5.16
$22.24 Rp 400.9K
-74.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 €1.02
$2.26 Rp 40.7K
-50.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 €1.27
$2.97 Rp 53.5K
-52.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Dresden
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.82 €3.43
$0.25 Rp 4,525
1428.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$71.7 €64.4
$7.82 Rp 141.0K
816.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €4.00
$0.44 Rp 7,923
911.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.70 €2.43
$0.43 Rp 7,753
527.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.89 €30.45
$5.41 Rp 97.5K
526.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.33 €2.09
$0.82 Rp 14.9K
184.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.3K €29.9K
$23.8K Rp 429.7M
39.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.9K €34.1K
$31.7K Rp 572.3M
19.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dresden
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$391 €351
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
394.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.99 €18.86
$6.45 Rp 116.2K
225.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.76 €39.32
$18.58 Rp 334.9K
135.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dresden
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.70 €31.18
$49.48 Rp 892.0K
-29.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.48 €22.89
$17.65 Rp 318.1K
44.36%
Cinema Ticket
$13.66 €12.28
$4.27 Rp 77.0K
219.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dresden
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$902 €811
$491 Rp 8.8M
83.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.6K €14.0K
$5,674 Rp 102.3M
174.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dresden
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.9 €78.1
$44.64 Rp 804.7K
94.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.49 €36.38
$34.95 Rp 630.1K
15.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 €95.8
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
33.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 €107
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
49.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dresden
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$749 €673
$1,125 Rp 20.3M
-33.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$523 €470
$671 Rp 12.1M
-22.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,571 €1,411
$3,565 Rp 64.3M
-55.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$972 €874
$1,723 Rp 31.1M
-43.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,645 €4,174
$2,732 Rp 49.2M
70.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,684 €2,411
$2,284 Rp 41.2M
17.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dresden
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,989 €2,685
$164 Rp 3.0M
1724.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.96
13.78
-71.26%

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

Last update for Dresden: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Dresden
$523
Ubud, Bali
$672 28.3% $148
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dresden
$456
Ubud, Bali
$104 77.2% $352
Groceries & Markets
Dresden
$341
Ubud, Bali
$288 15.4% $53
Eating Out
Dresden
$304
Ubud, Bali
$108 64.6% $196
Clothing & Footwear
Dresden
$159
Ubud, Bali
$108 32.3% $51
Getting Around
Dresden
$105
Ubud, Bali
$11 89.1% $93
Sport & Entertainment
Dresden
$62
Ubud, Bali
$58 6.4% $4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $749 in Dresden and $1,125 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dresden pays about 18 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $84 in Dresden vs $36 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $288 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Dresden
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
10:13 10:13 AM
17:13 5:13 PM
7 h ahead of Dresden
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
556,780
74,800
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18,025 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.55 USD). 1 EUR = 20,061 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dresden Ubud, Bali 11,550 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Dresden
  • 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
Dresden vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Dresden or Ubud, Bali?
Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Dresden. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Dresden or in Ubud, Bali?
Average pay in Dresden is about 18 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Dresden compared to Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $749 in Dresden versus $1,125 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Dresden compared to Ubud, Bali?
All in, you’ll spend $1,950 per month in Dresden versus $1,349 in Ubud, Bali – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Dresden compared to Ubud, Bali?
A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 89% less than in Dresden. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Dresden 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.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Dresden or 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.
How safe is Dresden compared to Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Dresden 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.
Should I move to Dresden or to Ubud, Bali?
It comes down to priorities – Ubud, Bali wins on affordability, Dresden on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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