Cost of Living Comparison Between Ha Long Bay and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Ha Long Bay and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $773 in Ha Long Bay versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,234 in Ha Long Bay versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,695 in Ha Long Bay versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Ha Long Bay costs roughly 45% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ha Long Bay is 44% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.92 ₫50.1K
$3.37 Rp 59.5K
-43.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.96 ₫493.9K
$38.59 Rp 680.4K
-50.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.28 ₫111.5K
$5.52 Rp 97.3K
-22.46%
Cappuccino
$1.57 ₫40.8K
$2.64 Rp 46.6K
-40.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ₫9,745
$1.67 Rp 29.5K
-77.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 ₫8,742
$0.77 Rp 13.6K
-55.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.81 ₫21.1K
$2.63 Rp 46.4K
-69.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 ₫38.5K
$4.28 Rp 75.5K
-65.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 ₫39.4K
$1.55 Rp 27.3K
-2.58%
White Bread (500g)
$1.04 ₫27.0K
$2.22 Rp 39.2K
-53.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.98 ₫25.6K
$1.13 Rp 19.8K
-13.27%
Eggs
$1.11 ₫29.0K
$2.09 Rp 36.8K
-46.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.12 ₫289.6K
$17.39 Rp 306.7K
-36.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.72 ₫96.8K
$3.87 Rp 68.2K
-3.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.69 ₫252.4K
$12.55 Rp 221.3K
-22.79%
Apples (1kg)
$3.19 ₫83.1K
$3.62 Rp 63.8K
-11.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 ₫27.5K
$1.56 Rp 27.5K
-32.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₫33.4K
$2.35 Rp 41.5K
-45.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.22 ₫31.8K
$2.06 Rp 36.2K
-40.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.05 ₫27.5K
$1.90 Rp 33.5K
-44.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.14 ₫29.8K
$2.34 Rp 41.2K
-51.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.65 ₫16.9K
$1.03 Rp 18.2K
-36.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ₫13.8K
$0.55 Rp 9,781
-3.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.41 ₫36.7K
$2.25 Rp 39.7K
-37.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.94 ₫311.2K
$23.81 Rp 419.8K
-49.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 ₫21.3K
$2.31 Rp 40.8K
-64.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 ₫41.0K
$2.80 Rp 49.4K
-43.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 ₫8,704
$0.27 Rp 4,803
22.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.47 ₫168.7K
$8.66 Rp 152.7K
-25.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.73 ₫19.0K
$0.48 Rp 8,490
52.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ₫14.9K
$0.45 Rp 7,865
26.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.44 ₫63.5K
$5.72 Rp 100.8K
-57.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 ₫23.2K
$0.76 Rp 13.4K
17.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9K ₫779.7M
$24.5K Rp 431.7M
22.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.7K ₫774.3M
$32.1K Rp 566.4M
-7.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.2 ₫2.0M
$83.6 Rp 1.5M
-8.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.91 ₫153.9K
$6.46 Rp 113.8K
-8.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.27 ₫215.5K
$18.99 Rp 334.9K
-56.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.28 ₫580.6K
$56.0 Rp 987.0K
-60.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.53 ₫196.1K
$18.62 Rp 328.3K
-59.56%
Cinema Ticket
$3.14 ₫81.7K
$4.28 Rp 75.5K
-26.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$159 ₫4.1M
$487 Rp 8.6M
-67.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.2K ₫319.0M
$5,856 Rp 103.3M
109.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.27 ₫1.2M
$45.56 Rp 803.3K
-2.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.04 ₫678.4K
$36.38 Rp 641.5K
-28.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.6 ₫2.2M
$82.0 Rp 1.4M
3.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.2 ₫2.1M
$80.4 Rp 1.4M
-0.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$407 ₫10.6M
$1,117 Rp 19.7M
-63.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$268 ₫7.0M
$701 Rp 12.4M
-61.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$731 ₫19.0M
$3,537 Rp 62.4M
-79.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 ₫16.1M
$1,762 Rp 31.1M
-64.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,781 ₫72.5M
$2,826 Rp 49.8M
-1.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,279 ₫33.3M
$2,292 Rp 40.4M
-44.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$170 Rp 3.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.55
13.78
-37.95%

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

Last update for Ha Long Bay: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Ha Long Bay and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Ha Long Bay vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $293 per month, with Ha Long Bay 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
Ha Long Bay vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ubud, Bali cheaper than Ha Long Bay?
Ha Long Bay is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,160 in Ha Long Bay and $2,095 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.
What is the rent difference between Ha Long Bay and Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $407 in Ha Long Bay versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Ha Long Bay runs roughly 34% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $159 in Ha Long Bay versus $487 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ha Long Bay or in Ubud, Bali?
At $773 in Ha Long Bay versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ha Long Bay but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Ha Long Bay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ha Long Bay or Ubud, Bali more family-friendly?
For families, Ha Long Bay 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.
Which city is safer, Ha Long Bay or Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Ha Long Bay 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Ha Long Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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