Cost of Living Comparison Between Helena, MT and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Helena, MT and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,033 in Helena, MT versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,340 in Helena, MT versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,647 in Helena, MT versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Helena, MT is roughly 111% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Helena, MT 126% above, Ubud, Bali 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.88 $19.88

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

456.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.9 $88.9

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

172.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.59 $13.59

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

168.05%

Cappuccino

$4.98 $4.98

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

75.97%

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

$2.20 $2.20

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

64.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

160.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

65.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 $6.53

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

69.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

-34.48%

White Bread (500g)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

72.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

207.56%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

71.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.62 $31.62

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

115.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.39 $9.39

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

124.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.65 $19.65

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

64.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

31.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

13.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

69.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

134.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

13.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

-17.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

63.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

222.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.32 $10.32

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

229.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 $13.26

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-43.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

-37.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

-13.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.54 $3.54

$0.29 Rp 5,010

1120.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.3 $60.3

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

637.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.81 $9.81

$0.45 Rp 7,834

2080.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 $3.32

$0.42 Rp 7,278

690.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.16 $45.16

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

633.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

7.14%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

37.63%

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

$31.1K $31.1K

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

-4.15%

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

$363 $363

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

362.57%

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

$76.2 $76.2

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

1828.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.7 $91.7

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

275.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.11 $49.11

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-49.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.13 $15.13

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

138.27%

Cinema Ticket

$10.55 $10.55

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

161.14%

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

$1,910 $1,910

$303 Rp 5.2M

531.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

248.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 $61.3

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

13.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$117 $117

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

207.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 $88.8

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

2.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

46.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,680 $1,680

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

65.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,417 $1,417

$674 Rp 11.6M

110.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 $2,609

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-23.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,196 $2,196

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

4.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,881 $3,881

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

30.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,169 $3,169

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

35.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,879 $6,879

$173 Rp 3.0M

3873.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

13.28

-49.47%

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

Last update for Helena, MT: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,680 in Helena, MT and $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Helena, MT pays 3873% 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: $89.0 in Helena, MT vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $453 vs $298 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

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

Helena, MT and Ubud, Bali differ by about 111% in total monthly costs ($3,033 vs $1,438 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Helena, MT pays 3873% 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: $1,680 in Helena, MT versus $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,910 in Helena, MT versus $303 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Helena, MT. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,033 in Helena, MT, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Helena, MT. 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, Helena, MT 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 111% less than in Helena, MT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.