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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $501 in Kathmandu versus $1,395 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $782 in Kathmandu versus $2,559 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,063 in Kathmandu versus $3,724 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kathmandu costs roughly 64% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kathmandu is 63% below, Ubud, Bali is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 NPR 266

$3.48 Rp 59.7K

-48.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.20 NPR 2,862

$32.88 Rp 563.4K

-41.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 NPR 991

$5.09 Rp 87.2K

30.65%

Cappuccino

$1.90 NPR 284

$2.75 Rp 47.1K

-30.91%

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

$0.49 NPR 73.8

$1.38 Rp 23.7K

-64.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 NPR 22.74

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

-78.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 NPR 380

$2.88 Rp 49.3K

-11.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 NPR 540

$3.87 Rp 66.3K

-6.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 NPR 132

$1.79 Rp 30.7K

-50.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 NPR 80.8

$2.45 Rp 41.9K

-77.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 NPR 139

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

-22.31%

Eggs

$1.77 NPR 264

$2.39 Rp 40.9K

-25.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 NPR 1,375

$14.70 Rp 251.9K

-37.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 NPR 465

$4.24 Rp 72.7K

-26.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.05 NPR 902

$12.08 Rp 206.9K

-49.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 NPR 326

$3.66 Rp 62.8K

-40.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 NPR 162

$1.61 Rp 27.5K

-32.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 NPR 187

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

-54.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 NPR 96.4

$2.27 Rp 38.9K

-71.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 NPR 72.8

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

-74.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 NPR 107

$2.30 Rp 39.4K

-68.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 NPR 74.0

$1.02 Rp 17.4K

-50.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 NPR 36.92

$0.78 Rp 13.3K

-67.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 NPR 425

$3.24 Rp 55.6K

-12.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.66 NPR 993

$24.06 Rp 412.3K

-72.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 NPR 350

$2.84 Rp 48.7K

-17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 NPR 499

$2.79 Rp 47.8K

20.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NPR 34.39

$0.27 Rp 4,606

-14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.79 NPR 1,608

$8.24 Rp 141.2K

30.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 NPR 329

$0.45 Rp 7,700

391.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 NPR 159

$0.43 Rp 7,298

148.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 NPR 546

$6.02 Rp 103.2K

-39.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 NPR 188

$0.86 Rp 14.7K

46.51%

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

$31.7K NPR 4.7M

$26.1K Rp 446.6M

21.66%

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

$41.2K NPR 6.1M

$31.7K Rp 543.2M

29.94%

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

$32.83 NPR 4,894

$78.3 Rp 1.3M

-58.09%

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

$5.00 NPR 746

$4.00 Rp 68.5K

25.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.86 NPR 1,469

$24.35 Rp 417.3K

-59.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.99 NPR 3,277

$95.8 Rp 1.6M

-77.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.17 NPR 1,069

$6.46 Rp 110.6K

10.99%

Cinema Ticket

$3.32 NPR 494

$4.01 Rp 68.7K

-17.21%

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

$93.0 NPR 13.9K

$302 Rp 5.2M

-69.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,703 NPR 552.0K

$6,545 Rp 112.2M

-43.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.62 NPR 3,670

$53.4 Rp 915.5K

-53.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.47 NPR 4,095

$38.55 Rp 660.6K

-28.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.3 NPR 8,688

$89.1 Rp 1.5M

-34.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.32 NPR 6,010

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-48.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$192 NPR 28.6K

$1,016 Rp 17.4M

-81.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.7 NPR 14.9K

$672 Rp 11.5M

-85.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 NPR 51.8K

$3,368 Rp 57.7M

-89.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 NPR 28.2K

$2,108 Rp 36.1M

-91.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,382 NPR 355.1K

$3,001 Rp 51.4M

-20.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,359 NPR 202.6K

$2,337 Rp 40.0M

-41.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$241 NPR 36.0K

$178 Rp 3.0M

35.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

13.28

-9.04%

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

Last update for Kathmandu: April 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $192 in Kathmandu and $1,016 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kathmandu pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19 in Kathmandu vs $33 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $300 per month, with Kathmandu 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

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

Kathmandu wins on cost – living expenses run 179% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kathmandu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Kathmandu pays 36% 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: $192 in Kathmandu versus $1,016 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kathmandu – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $501 per month in Kathmandu versus $1,395 in Ubud, Bali – a 179% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $501 in Kathmandu versus $1,395 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kathmandu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kathmandu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kathmandu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $501 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kathmandu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 179% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.