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: $508 in Kathmandu versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $787 in Kathmandu versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,067 in Kathmandu versus $3,723 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 62% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 NPR 273

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

-49.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.21 NPR 2,932

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

-40.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 NPR 1,022

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

33.73%

Cappuccino

$1.92 NPR 293

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

-31.91%

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

$0.54 NPR 83.1

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 NPR 29.56

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

-73.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 NPR 386

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

-13.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 NPR 540

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

-10.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 NPR 133

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-51.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 NPR 89.1

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

-76.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 NPR 145

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

-17.39%

Eggs

$1.84 NPR 281

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

-23.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 NPR 1,407

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

-35.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 NPR 473

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

-26.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.04 NPR 921

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

-49.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 NPR 346

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

-37.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 NPR 166

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-31.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 NPR 183

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-56.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 NPR 98.9

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

-70.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 NPR 72.9

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

-75.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 NPR 102

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-70.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 NPR 75.6

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

-52.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.40

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-65.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 NPR 448

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

-7.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 NPR 1,352

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-62.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 NPR 357

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-19.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 NPR 499

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

18.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 NPR 31.98

$0.27 Rp 4,813

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.03 NPR 1,683

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

31.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 NPR 337

$0.45 Rp 8,167

391.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 NPR 162

$0.46 Rp 8,298

130.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 NPR 569

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

-38.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 NPR 189

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

44.19%

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

$31.4K NPR 4.8M

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

18.11%

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

$41.4K NPR 6.3M

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

27.08%

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

$33.18 NPR 5,064

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-58.01%

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

$4.95 NPR 756

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

21.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.65 NPR 1,473

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

-59.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 NPR 3,349

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-77.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.45 NPR 1,137

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

17.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.21 NPR 491

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

-19.95%

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

$91.0 NPR 13.9K

$297 Rp 5.4M

-69.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,763 NPR 574.3K

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

-43.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.49 NPR 3,737

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

-54.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.13 NPR 4,293

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

-26.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 NPR 9,033

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-33.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.39 NPR 6,164

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

-47.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 NPR 30.2K

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-80.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.0 NPR 15.1K

$680 Rp 12.3M

-85.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 NPR 52.5K

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

-90.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 NPR 28.0K

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

-91.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,331 NPR 355.7K

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

-14.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,317 NPR 201.0K

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

-42.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 NPR 41.1K

$164 Rp 3.0M

64.36%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Kathmandu and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kathmandu pays 64% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Kathmandu vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $157 vs $298 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 174% 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.

Average pay runs 64% higher in Kathmandu, 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: $198 in Kathmandu versus $1,020 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $508 per month in Kathmandu versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali – a 174% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $508 in Kathmandu versus $1,392 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 $508 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 174% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.