Cost of Living Comparison Between Hua-lien and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Hua-lien and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,067 in Hua-lien versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,822 in Hua-lien versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,578 in Hua-lien versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Hua-lien costs roughly 24% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hua-lien is 22% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 NT$131

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

22.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.83 NT$883

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

-27.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.21 NT$133

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

-23.73%

Cappuccino

$2.74 NT$87.1

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

3.79%

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

$0.82 NT$26.15

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

-50.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 NT$16.36

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

-32.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 NT$40.47

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

-51.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 NT$55.8

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

-58.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.82 NT$89.4

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

81.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 NT$54.3

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

-22.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 NT$144

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

300.88%

Eggs

$1.97 NT$62.5

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

-5.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.03 NT$604

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

9.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 NT$196

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

59.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.32 NT$803

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

101.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 NT$84.2

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

-26.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NT$81.1

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

64.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 NT$107

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

43.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 NT$100

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

53.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 NT$76.5

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

26.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 NT$76.5

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

2.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 NT$65.9

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

101.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 NT$30.20

$0.55 Rp 9,854

72.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.83 NT$121

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

70.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.32 NT$391

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

-48.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 NT$60.8

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

-16.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 NT$75.7

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

-14.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 NT$20.96

$0.27 Rp 4,839

144.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.66 NT$1,131

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

311.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 NT$102

$0.48 Rp 8,554

568.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 NT$10.20

$0.45 Rp 7,924

-28.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 NT$328

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

80.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 NT$28.03

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

15.79%

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

$33.1K NT$1.1M

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

35.37%

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

$26.6K NT$843.2K

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

-17.26%

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

$101 NT$3,188

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

20.29%

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

$19.42 NT$616

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

200.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.51 NT$397

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

-34.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.12 NT$1,178

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

-33.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 NT$322

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

137.15%

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

$763 NT$24.2K

$487 Rp 8.6M

56.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K NT$521.7K

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

180.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 NT$1,837

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

27.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.49 NT$1,126

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

-2.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 NT$2,517

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

-3.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NT$3,416

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

33.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 NT$12.5K

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

-64.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 NT$7,884

$701 Rp 12.5M

-64.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 NT$30.4K

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

-72.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 NT$23.4K

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

-58.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,381 NT$234.2K

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

161.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,947 NT$156.9K

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

115.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,874 NT$91.2K

$170 Rp 3.0M

1592.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.13

13.78

-84.54%

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

Last update for Hua-lien: September 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $394 in Hua-lien and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hua-lien pays 1593% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Hua-lien vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $364 vs $293, with Ubud, Bali 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

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

Hua-lien wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hua-lien the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1593% higher in Hua-lien, 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: $394 in Hua-lien versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Ubud, Bali pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Hua-lien – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,067 in Hua-lien versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hua-lien but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Hua-lien the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Hua-lien delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,067 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hua-lien hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Hua-lien 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 Hua-lien gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.