Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ha Long Bay: $759 a month against $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Ha Long Bay
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$759
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,353
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $759 in Ha Long Bay versus $1,353 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Ha Long Bay $759
  • Ubud, Bali $1,353

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Ha Long Bay versus $2,297 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Ha Long Bay $1,224
  • Ubud, Bali $2,297

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,688 in Ha Long Bay versus $3,241 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Ha Long Bay $1,688
  • Ubud, Bali $3,241

Living in Ha Long Bay costs roughly 44% less than in Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.06 ₫53.2K
$3.23 Rp 58.3K
-36.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.24 ₫497.1K
$34.88 Rp 629.5K
-44.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.35 ₫112.4K
$5.70 Rp 102.8K
-23.68%
Cappuccino
$1.60 ₫41.4K
$2.62 Rp 47.2K
-38.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 ₫9,810
$1.72 Rp 31.1K
-77.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ₫9,088
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
-56.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.88 ₫22.7K
$2.65 Rp 47.8K
-66.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 ₫34.4K
$4.37 Rp 78.8K
-69.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 ₫39.3K
$1.57 Rp 28.4K
-3.18%
White Bread (500g)
$1.12 ₫29.0K
$2.19 Rp 39.6K
-48.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.89 ₫23.1K
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
-24.58%
Eggs
$1.13 ₫29.2K
$2.16 Rp 38.9K
-47.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.47 ₫270.6K
$17.65 Rp 318.5K
-40.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.80 ₫98.2K
$3.78 Rp 68.2K
0.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.88 ₫281.2K
$11.95 Rp 215.7K
-8.95%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ₫75.9K
$3.60 Rp 65.0K
-18.33%
Banana (1kg)
$0.94 ₫24.2K
$1.59 Rp 28.7K
-40.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 ₫35.3K
$2.31 Rp 41.7K
-40.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.18 ₫30.4K
$1.91 Rp 34.4K
-38.22%
Potato (1kg)
$0.98 ₫25.3K
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
-44.94%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 ₫29.2K
$2.33 Rp 42.0K
-51.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.65 ₫16.8K
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
-35.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ₫13.3K
$0.53 Rp 9,536
-3.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.37 ₫35.5K
$2.29 Rp 41.3K
-40.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.37 ₫293.8K
$22.07 Rp 398.4K
-48.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.87 ₫22.4K
$2.35 Rp 42.4K
-62.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 ₫42.7K
$2.98 Rp 53.7K
-44.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 ₫8,888
$0.23 Rp 4,123
47.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.31 ₫163.2K
$8.90 Rp 160.6K
-29.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.71 ₫18.4K
$0.47 Rp 8,490
51.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.61 ₫15.7K
$0.43 Rp 7,759
41.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.71 ₫70.0K
$5.47 Rp 98.7K
-50.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.02 ₫26.5K
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
22.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K ₫858.7M
$23.9K Rp 431.0M
39.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.2K ₫779.2M
$32.8K Rp 591.8M
-8.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.9 ₫1.9M
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
-10.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.52 ₫168.4K
$6.56 Rp 118.4K
-0.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.58 ₫221.6K
$18.60 Rp 335.8K
-53.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.65 ₫585.3K
$54.1 Rp 976.8K
-58.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.89 ₫178.0K
$18.28 Rp 329.9K
-62.31%
Cinema Ticket
$3.11 ₫80.3K
$4.25 Rp 76.8K
-26.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$191 ₫4.9M
$493 Rp 8.9M
-61.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.2K ₫367.5M
$5,597 Rp 101.0M
154.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.88 ₫1.3M
$45.58 Rp 822.6K
7.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.10 ₫674.5K
$34.96 Rp 631.1K
-25.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.7 ₫2.0M
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
1.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.3 ₫2.2M
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
8.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$386 ₫10.0M
$1,131 Rp 20.4M
-65.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$272 ₫7.0M
$673 Rp 12.1M
-59.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$881 ₫22.8M
$3,613 Rp 65.2M
-75.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$612 ₫15.8M
$1,702 Rp 30.7M
-64.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,009 ₫51.9M
$2,717 Rp 49.0M
-26.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,215 ₫31.4M
$2,241 Rp 40.5M
-45.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ha Long Bay
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$166 Rp 3.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.28
13.78
-39.91%

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

Last update for Ha Long Bay: October 18, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ha Long Bay
$272
Ubud, Bali
$673 148% $401
Groceries & Markets
Ha Long Bay
$194
Ubud, Bali
$287 48.4% $94
Clothing & Footwear
Ha Long Bay
$108
Ubud, Bali
$107 0.9% $1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ha Long Bay
$87
Ubud, Bali
$105 20.9% $18
Eating Out
Ha Long Bay
$59
Ubud, Bali
$106 81.2% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Ha Long Bay
$29
Ubud, Bali
$63 117% $34
Getting Around
Ha Long Bay
$11
Ubud, Bali
$12 8.7% $1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Ha Long Bay and $1,131 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19 in Ha Long Bay vs $35 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $287 per month, with Ha Long Bay cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇻🇳 Ha Long Bay
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
00:59 12:59 AM
01:59 1:59 AM
1 h ahead of Ha Long Bay
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
270,054
74,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 25,840 VND (100,000 VND = 3.87 USD). 1 EUR = 28,952 VND (100,000 VND = 3.45 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 18,050 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.54 USD). 1 EUR = 20,224 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ha Long Bay Ubud, Bali 3,400 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ha Long Bay
  • 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
Ha Long Bay vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ha Long Bay cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Ha Long Bay is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,138 in Ha Long Bay and $2,030 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: $386 in Ha Long Bay versus $1,131 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 29% 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 $191 in Ha Long Bay versus $493 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Ha Long Bay or in Ubud, Bali?
At $759 in Ha Long Bay versus $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 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 it better to live in Ha Long Bay or in 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.
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 44% 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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