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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,608 in Forbes versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,730 in Forbes versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,852 in Forbes versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Forbes is roughly 89% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Forbes 89% above, Ubud, Bali 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 A$24.69

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

430.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.7 A$121

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

141.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.74 A$15.02

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

90.76%

Cappuccino

$4.14 A$5.79

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

46.81%

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

$3.03 A$4.24

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

73.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 A$3.20

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

186.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 A$10.93

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

157.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 A$10.48

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

74.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 A$2.32

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

3.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 A$3.95

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

24.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.29

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

101.71%

Eggs

$5.16 A$7.21

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

137.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 A$13.56

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-44.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.34 A$13.05

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

130.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.37 A$21.49

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

26.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 A$5.22

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

3.04%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 A$4.31

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

87.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 A$4.68

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

45.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.90 A$6.85

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 A$3.65

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

41.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 A$3.45

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

4.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 A$3.53

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

140.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 A$2.31

$0.54 Rp 9,560

205.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$39.79 A$55.6

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

1630.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 A$20.31

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-37.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.21 A$7.28

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

122.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.54 A$7.74

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

80.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 A$4.40

$0.25 Rp 4,365

1160.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.1 A$120

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

813.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 A$4.94

$0.49 Rp 8,631

622.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.24

$0.47 Rp 8,349

240.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.87 A$58.5

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

647.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 A$1.81

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

60.49%

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

$27.9K A$38.9K

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

11.40%

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

$31.2K A$43.6K

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

0.48%

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

$210 A$294

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

154.29%

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

$27.37 A$38.26

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

321.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 A$80.6

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

207.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 A$78.8

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

2.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.63 A$26.04

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

2.31%

Cinema Ticket

$16.06 A$22.45

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

273.49%

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

$2,166 A$3,028

$494 Rp 8.7M

338.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K A$29.5K

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

256.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 A$111

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

72.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.7 A$76.5

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

50.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 A$162

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

43.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 A$181

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

63.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 A$2,026

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

30.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 A$1,833

$693 Rp 12.2M

89.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,339 A$3,269

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-35.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,869 A$2,613

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

9.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,620 A$9,253

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

139.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,241 A$7,325

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

128.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

13.78

-57.55%

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

Last update for Forbes: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,449 in Forbes and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $87.0 in Forbes vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 vs $294 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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

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

Forbes and Ubud, Bali differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($2,608 vs $1,378 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,912 in Forbes and $2,067 in Ubud, Bali to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,449 in Forbes versus $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,608 per month in Forbes versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 814% less than in Forbes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,608 in Forbes, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Forbes. 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, Forbes 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 89% less than in Forbes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.