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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,318 in Kirkwall versus $1,395 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,450 in Kirkwall versus $2,559 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Kirkwall versus $3,724 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kirkwall is roughly 66% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kirkwall 72% above, Ubud, Bali 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.28 £18.68

$3.48 Rp 59.7K

626.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 £60.0

$32.88 Rp 563.4K

147.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 £7.31

$5.09 Rp 87.2K

94.30%

Cappuccino

$4.02 £2.97

$2.75 Rp 47.1K

46.18%

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

$2.33 £1.72

$1.38 Rp 23.7K

68.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 £1.17

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

123.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 £4.05

$2.88 Rp 49.3K

90.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 £4.70

$3.87 Rp 66.3K

64.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 £1.18

$1.79 Rp 30.7K

-10.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 £1.22

$2.45 Rp 41.9K

-32.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 £1.64

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

83.47%

Eggs

$3.97 £2.93

$2.39 Rp 40.9K

66.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 £7.20

$14.70 Rp 251.9K

-33.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.61 £6.36

$4.24 Rp 72.7K

103.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 £10.58

$12.08 Rp 206.9K

18.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 £2.33

$3.66 Rp 62.8K

-13.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 £1.20

$1.61 Rp 27.5K

1.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 £2.12

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

5.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 £2.62

$2.27 Rp 38.9K

55.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 £1.21

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

-14.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 £1.14

$2.30 Rp 39.4K

-32.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 £0.79

$1.02 Rp 17.4K

4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 £1.08

$0.78 Rp 13.3K

87.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.36 £14.31

$3.24 Rp 55.6K

497.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.71 £7.91

$24.06 Rp 412.3K

-55.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 £2.06

$2.84 Rp 48.7K

-1.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 £2.28

$2.79 Rp 47.8K

10.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.27 £2.42

$0.27 Rp 4,606

1111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 £66.7

$8.24 Rp 141.2K

994.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.59 £4.13

$0.45 Rp 7,700

1142.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 £1.18

$0.43 Rp 7,298

272.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.01 £17.00

$6.02 Rp 103.2K

282.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 £1.45

$0.86 Rp 14.7K

127.91%

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

$39.0K £28.8K

$26.1K Rp 446.6M

49.60%

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

$41.1K £30.4K

$31.7K Rp 543.2M

29.58%

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

$291 £215

$78.3 Rp 1.3M

271.59%

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

$17.00 £12.57

$4.00 Rp 68.5K

325.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.62 £31.50

$24.35 Rp 417.3K

75.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.29 £19.43

$95.8 Rp 1.6M

-72.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.46 Rp 110.6K

Cinema Ticket

$13.41 £9.91

$4.01 Rp 68.7K

234.41%

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

$1,575 £1,164

$302 Rp 5.2M

422.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K £13.4K

$6,545 Rp 112.2M

177.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.3 £63.0

$53.4 Rp 915.5K

59.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.07 £32.57

$38.55 Rp 660.6K

14.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 £69.3

$89.1 Rp 1.5M

5.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 £73.7

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

26.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 £890

$1,016 Rp 17.4M

18.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$999 £739

$672 Rp 11.5M

48.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,068 £1,528

$3,368 Rp 57.7M

-38.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 £1,251

$2,108 Rp 36.1M

-19.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,001 Rp 51.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,337 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,959 £1,448

$178 Rp 3.0M

1003.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

13.28

-57.61%

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

Last update for Kirkwall: April 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,204 in Kirkwall and $1,016 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kirkwall pays 1004% 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: $81 in Kirkwall vs $33 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $299 vs $300, with Kirkwall cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Kirkwall and Ubud, Bali differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($2,318 vs $1,395 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kirkwall pays 1004% 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: $1,204 in Kirkwall 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 Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $81.0 in Kirkwall. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,318 per month in Kirkwall versus $1,395 in Ubud, Bali – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,395 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,318 in Kirkwall, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Kirkwall. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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, Kirkwall 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 66% less than in Kirkwall. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.