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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $516 in Kandy versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $736 in Kandy versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $956 in Kandy versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kandy costs roughly 63% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kandy is 63% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 LKR 904

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

-17.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.92 LKR 4,246

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

-63.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 LKR 1,964

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

6.22%

Cappuccino

$1.99 LKR 654

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

-29.43%

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

$0.51 LKR 167

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-70.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 LKR 85.5

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

-67.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 LKR 612

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

-38.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 937

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

-33.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 LKR 383

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

-27.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 LKR 161

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-78.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 258

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

-33.33%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 527

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

-26.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 LKR 1,721

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-70.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 LKR 1,412

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

6.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 LKR 2,265

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

-43.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 LKR 1,012

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-14.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 292

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

-45.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 LKR 564

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

-25.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 LKR 418

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

-35.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LKR 326

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

-46.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 266

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-65.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 LKR 158

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

-54.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 147

$0.54 Rp 9,560

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.75 LKR 2,548

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

236.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 LKR 3,788

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-50.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 654

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-14.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 669

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

-33.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 53.3

$0.25 Rp 4,365

-36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.68 LKR 1,538

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

-50.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 138

$0.49 Rp 8,631

-14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.47 Rp 8,349

-19.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 LKR 156

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

-91.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 LKR 368

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

38.27%

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

$14.1K LKR 4.6M

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

-43.43%

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

$37.5K LKR 12.3M

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

20.81%

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

$55.1 LKR 18.1K

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

-33.43%

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

$4.11 LKR 1,351

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

-36.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.67 LKR 4,164

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

-32.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.02 LKR 3,620

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

-80.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.68 LKR 2,193

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

-63.32%

Cinema Ticket

$2.89 LKR 950

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

-32.79%

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

$21.41 LKR 7,036

$494 Rp 8.7M

-95.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$305 LKR 100.3K

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

-94.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.30 LKR 6,671

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

-56.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.30 LKR 3,386

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

-71.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 LKR 22.6K

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

-14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.80 LKR 8,805

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

-65.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 LKR 57.0K

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-84.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 LKR 38.1K

$693 Rp 12.2M

-83.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 LKR 58.2K

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-95.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.0 LKR 31.9K

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-94.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$414 LKR 135.9K

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

-85.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$406 LKR 133.5K

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

-82.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 LKR 86.5K

$167 Rp 2.9M

57.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-12.92%

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

Last update for Kandy: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $174 in Kandy and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kandy pays 58% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $13.00 in Kandy vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $294 per month, with Kandy 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

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

Kandy is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 167% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 58% higher in Kandy, 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: $174 in Kandy versus $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $516 per month in Kandy versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali – a 167% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 101% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $516 in Kandy versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kandy but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kandy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kandy 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, Kandy 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 Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 167% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.