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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $781 in Karaj versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,098 in Karaj versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,415 in Karaj versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Karaj costs roughly 43% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Karaj is 43% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 $3.58

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

4.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.41 $16.41

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

-54.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.88 $3.88

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

-32.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

Cappuccino

$1.10 $1.10

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

-58.80%

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

$0.43 $0.43

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-75.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

96.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 $0.66

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

-59.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 $0.48

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-79.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

81.08%

Eggs

$1.06 $1.06

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

-51.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

-75.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

-17.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 $10.13

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

-16.83%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 $0.89

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

-76.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

6.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 $0.78

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

-65.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

-75.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 $0.46

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

-75.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-79.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 $0.55

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

-45.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.20 $0.20

$0.55 Rp 9,773

-63.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.58 $0.58

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 $1.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

14.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 $0.18

$0.27 Rp 4,814

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.11 $13.11

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

45.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.48 Rp 8,566

-39.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.43 Rp 7,679

-27.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 $2.61

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

-53.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.09 $0.09

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

-88.75%

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

$50.6K $50.6K

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

102.95%

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

$43.9K $43.9K

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

38.43%

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

$13.53 $13.53

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-83.39%

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

$1.61 $1.61

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

-75.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.68 $3.68

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

-80.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.79 $22.79

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-59.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.96 $9.96

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

-46.82%

Cinema Ticket

$1.08 $1.08

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

-76.21%

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

$109 $109

$481 Rp 8.5M

-77.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$819 $819

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

-85.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.80 $24.80

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

-45.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.66 $28.66

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

-20.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 $99.0

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

23.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.5 $75.5

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

-4.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 $370

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

-66.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 $448

$698 Rp 12.4M

-35.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 $876

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-75.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 $629

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-63.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,261 $1,261

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

-54.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$543 $543

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

-76.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 $248

$168 Rp 3.0M

47.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.67

13.78

64.51%

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

Last update for Karaj: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $370 in Karaj and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karaj pays 47% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $16.00 in Karaj vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $111 vs $295 per month, with Karaj cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Karaj and Ubud, Bali differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($781 vs $1,368 including rent). Karaj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 47% higher in Karaj, 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: $370 in Karaj versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 166% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Karaj – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $781 in Karaj versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karaj but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Karaj 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, Karaj 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 Karaj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.