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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,159 in Kaohsiung versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,912 in Kaohsiung versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,666 in Kaohsiung versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kaohsiung costs roughly 17% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kaohsiung is 13% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.16 NT$134

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

16.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.09 NT$1,101

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

5.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 NT$176

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

8.98%

Cappuccino

$2.99 NT$96.5

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

6.03%

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

$1.03 NT$33.19

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-23.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 NT$23.25

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

-1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 NT$53.7

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

-43.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 NT$89.5

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

-29.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.54 NT$114

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

98.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NT$66.7

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

-15.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 NT$84.0

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

126.09%

Eggs

$3.32 NT$107

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

37.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 NT$510

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

10.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.24 NT$298

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

120.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.93 NT$579

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

48.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 NT$194

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

64.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 NT$83.5

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

64.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 NT$89.9

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-0.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 NT$130

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

79.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 NT$96.3

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

50.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$72.5

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-1.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 NT$61.9

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

82.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 NT$36.95

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

44.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 NT$140

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

36.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 NT$490

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-35.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 NT$53.4

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-43.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 NT$79.2

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

-11.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 NT$26.16

$0.27 Rp 4,813

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.16 NT$877

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

224.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$94.8

$0.45 Rp 8,167

553.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 NT$23.55

$0.46 Rp 8,298

58.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 NT$195

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

-0.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$34.53

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

24.42%

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

$34.2K NT$1.1M

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

28.56%

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

$25.7K NT$831.4K

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

-20.90%

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

$105 NT$3,391

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

32.88%

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

$25.44 NT$821

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

522.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.82 NT$802

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

4.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.49 NT$1,243

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-61.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.37 NT$367

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

79.06%

Cinema Ticket

$10.36 NT$335

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

158.35%

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

$427 NT$13.8K

$297 Rp 5.4M

43.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K NT$364.0K

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

70.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.0 NT$3,067

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

77.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.22 NT$1,170

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

-4.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 NT$2,886

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

0.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 NT$3,317

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

34.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 NT$14.5K

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-56.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 NT$9,030

$680 Rp 12.3M

-58.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 NT$29.9K

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

-73.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 NT$22.3K

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

-66.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,510 NT$145.6K

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

65.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,159 NT$102.0K

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

37.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 NT$47.2K

$164 Rp 3.0M

793.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.3

13.28

-82.68%

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

Last update for Kaohsiung: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $448 in Kaohsiung and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kaohsiung pays 794% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Kaohsiung vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 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

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

Kaohsiung and Ubud, Bali differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,159 vs $1,392 including rent). Kaohsiung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 794% higher in Kaohsiung, 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: $448 in Kaohsiung versus $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Kaohsiung versus $297 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ubud, Bali pay roughly 28% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,159 in Kaohsiung versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kaohsiung but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kaohsiung 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, Kaohsiung 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 Kaohsiung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.