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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,482 in Kingston versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,489 in Kingston versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,496 in Kingston versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kingston is roughly 5% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kingston 11% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 JMD 1,176

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

116.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 JMD 9,720

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

90.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 JMD 1,352

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

77.27%

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 692

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

59.64%

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

$1.33 JMD 209

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-3.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 117

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 383

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

-18.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 489

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

-19.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.33 JMD 682

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

148.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 JMD 551

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

41.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 JMD 258

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

40.17%

Eggs

$3.61 JMD 568

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

48.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 JMD 1,765

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

-22.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 JMD 1,016

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

48.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 JMD 1,232

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

-34.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 JMD 945

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

61.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 JMD 470

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

82.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 JMD 663

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

53.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 JMD 457

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

29.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 JMD 319

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

5.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 315

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

-12.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 JMD 475

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

183.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 JMD 238

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

109.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.61 JMD 1,357

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

161.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,808

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

-50.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JMD 438

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 JMD 480

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

11.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JMD 128

$0.27 Rp 4,765

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.18 JMD 7,751

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

506.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 JMD 171

$0.48 Rp 8,636

127.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 507

$0.42 Rp 7,511

666.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 JMD 999

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

1.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 JMD 196

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

53.09%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

63.27%

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

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

5.92%

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

$161 JMD 25.3K

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

105.23%

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

$22.24 JMD 3,504

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

446.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 JMD 8,191

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

113.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 JMD 10.9K

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-30.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.91 JMD 2,508

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

150.95%

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 JMD 2,109

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

235.34%

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

$222 JMD 35.0K

$305 Rp 5.5M

-27.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,532 JMD 399.1K

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

-61.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.81 JMD 4,068

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

-52.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.49 JMD 4,017

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

-32.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 JMD 11.2K

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-18.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 JMD 11.8K

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-1.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 JMD 138.6K

$992 Rp 17.7M

-11.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 JMD 71.2K

$673 Rp 12.0M

-32.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 JMD 316.2K

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

-40.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 JMD 187.2K

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

-42.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 JMD 451.6K

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

2.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,153 JMD 339.4K

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

-3.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 JMD 115.4K

$167 Rp 3.0M

338.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

13.28

-31.10%

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

Last update for Kingston: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Kingston and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston pays 339% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $62.0 in Kingston vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $297 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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Kingston. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 339% higher in Kingston, 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: $880 in Kingston versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Kingston versus $305 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,482 in Kingston, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,408 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kingston 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.