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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,033 in Durham versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,006 in Durham versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,980 in Durham versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Durham is roughly 41% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Durham 52% above, Ubud, Bali 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.92 £14.00

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

429.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.8 £71.6

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

197.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.02 £7.41

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

97.63%

Cappuccino

$4.37 £3.24

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

54.42%

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

$2.50 £1.85

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

86.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 £1.43

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

179.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 £4.50

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

103.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 £3.97

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

39.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 £1.32

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

2.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 £1.20

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

-35.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 £1.86

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

110.92%

Eggs

$4.00 £2.96

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

64.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 £6.85

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

-36.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 £6.08

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

96.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 £7.09

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

-19.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 £2.71

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

-0.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 £1.69

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

41.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 £2.39

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

20.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 £2.53

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

46.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 £0.85

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

-39.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 £1.16

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

-28.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 £0.77

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

-1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 £1.35

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

152.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.65 £16.76

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

623.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 £8.17

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-53.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 £2.29

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

12.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 £2.20

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

3.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 £2.35

$0.29 Rp 5,010

996.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.8 £41.28

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

582.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 £3.57

$0.45 Rp 7,834

971.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 £1.16

$0.42 Rp 7,278

273.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.48 £17.38

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

281.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 £1.43

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

129.76%

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

$37.1K £27.5K

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

41.45%

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

$39.8K £29.5K

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

22.69%

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

$276 £204

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

251.75%

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

$15.57 £11.52

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

294.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.37 £25.43

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

40.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 £37.20

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-47.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 £9.56

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

219.80%

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

$1,615 £1,195

$303 Rp 5.2M

433.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K £13.5K

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

179.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 £75.6

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

89.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 £44.44

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

58.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 £91.4

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

42.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 £66.0

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

13.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,463 £1,083

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

44.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$828 £613

$674 Rp 11.6M

22.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,610 £1,932

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-22.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,270 £939

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

-39.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,204 £3,851

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

74.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,964 £2,934

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

69.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,090 £1,547

$173 Rp 3.0M

1107.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

13.28

-58.96%

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

Last update for Durham: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,463 in Durham and $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durham pays 1107% 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: $97.0 in Durham vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $296 vs $298, with Durham cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Durham and Ubud, Bali differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($2,033 vs $1,438 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Durham pays 1107% more on average, 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: $1,463 in Durham versus $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,033 per month in Durham versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 583% less than in Durham. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,033 in Durham, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Durham. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Durham 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 41% less than in Durham. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.