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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,187 in Formosa versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,967 in Formosa versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,747 in Formosa versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Formosa costs roughly 14% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Formosa is 14% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.52 ARS 23.5K

$3.33 Rp 58.4K

366.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 ARS 80.2K

$35.82 Rp 628.0K

48.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 ARS 20.0K

$5.63 Rp 98.7K

134.28%

Cappuccino

$3.74 ARS 5,664

$2.82 Rp 49.5K

32.62%

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

$2.13 ARS 3,221

$1.75 Rp 30.6K

21.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ARS 2,508

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

107.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 ARS 5,619

$3.04 Rp 53.4K

22.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ARS 5,678

$4.30 Rp 75.3K

-12.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 ARS 2,021

$1.61 Rp 28.2K

-16.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 ARS 3,213

$2.27 Rp 39.8K

-6.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ARS 2,396

$1.17 Rp 20.5K

35.04%

Eggs

$2.39 ARS 3,620

$2.17 Rp 38.0K

10.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 ARS 15.2K

$17.63 Rp 309.1K

-43.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 ARS 9,763

$4.05 Rp 71.1K

59.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.74 ARS 17.8K

$12.18 Rp 213.6K

-3.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ARS 3,554

$3.62 Rp 63.4K

-35.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 ARS 3,395

$1.64 Rp 28.7K

36.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 ARS 2,096

$2.31 Rp 40.4K

-39.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ARS 3,202

$1.96 Rp 34.3K

8.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ARS 1,587

$1.84 Rp 32.3K

-42.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ARS 1,487

$2.37 Rp 41.6K

-58.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 ARS 2,384

$1.05 Rp 18.4K

50.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ARS 2,618

$0.54 Rp 9,519

220.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ARS 4,951

$2.30 Rp 40.4K

42.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.10 ARS 7,717

$23.08 Rp 404.6K

-77.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ARS 3,125

$2.34 Rp 41.0K

-11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ARS 4,261

$3.07 Rp 53.8K

-8.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ARS 1,494

$0.25 Rp 4,346

296.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 ARS 2,376

$0.49 Rp 8,594

220.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ARS 1,531

$0.47 Rp 8,314

114.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.28 ARS 11.0K

$5.60 Rp 98.2K

30.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ARS 1,745

$0.81 Rp 14.1K

41.98%

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

$27.4K ARS 41.4M

$25.0K Rp 438.5M

9.38%

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

$33.9K ARS 51.3M

$31.1K Rp 544.6M

9.18%

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

$84.7 ARS 128.1K

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

2.38%

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

$16.82 ARS 25.4K

$6.49 Rp 113.7K

159.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.20 ARS 41.1K

$18.79 Rp 329.4K

44.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.86 ARS 45.2K

$55.2 Rp 968.5K

-45.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 319.3K

Cinema Ticket

$8.43 ARS 12.7K

$4.30 Rp 75.3K

96.05%

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

$304 ARS 459.4K

$494 Rp 8.7M

-38.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,251 ARS 6.4M

$5,917 Rp 103.7M

-28.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 ARS 161.1K

$46.28 Rp 811.4K

130.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.7 ARS 113.0K

$36.44 Rp 638.9K

104.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ARS 178.7K

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

46.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 ARS 190.9K

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

60.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 ARS 721.4K

$1,114 Rp 19.5M

-57.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 ARS 470.6K

$693 Rp 12.2M

-55.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$974 ARS 1.5M

$3,639 Rp 63.8M

-73.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ARS 1.2M

$1,712 Rp 30.0M

-55.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,412 ARS 3.6M

$2,761 Rp 48.4M

-12.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

13.78

310.45%

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

Last update for Formosa: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Formosa and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Formosa vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $248 vs $294, with Formosa 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

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

Formosa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,780 in Formosa 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: $477 in Formosa versus $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Formosa versus $494 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Formosa – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,187 in Formosa versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Formosa but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Formosa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Formosa 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, Formosa 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 Formosa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.