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: $2,123 in Kirkwall versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,009 in Kirkwall versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,895 in Kirkwall versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kirkwall is roughly 52% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kirkwall 55% above, Ubud, Bali 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.90 £16.94

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

579.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.1 £69.6

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

143.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 £7.59

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

85.87%

Cappuccino

$4.14 £3.07

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

56.82%

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

$3.05 £2.26

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

82.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 £0.99

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

74.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.36 £4.71

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

141.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 £5.14

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

62.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 £0.63

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

-45.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 £1.25

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

-23.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 £1.80

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

115.93%

Eggs

$3.31 £2.45

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

58.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.67 £4.94

$17.39 Rp 306.7K

-61.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.94 £6.61

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

131.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 £12.28

$12.55 Rp 221.3K

32.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 £1.84

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

-31.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.45

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 £1.57

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

-9.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 £0.98

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

-35.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 £1.45

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

3.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 £0.82

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-52.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 £0.59

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

-23.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 £0.79

$0.55 Rp 9,780

92.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.41 £15.10

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

807.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.26 £6.85

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

-61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 £2.00

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

17.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 £2.30

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.64 £2.69

$0.27 Rp 4,802

1248.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.8 £70.1

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

994.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 £4.14

$0.48 Rp 8,489

1066.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.58 £1.91

$0.45 Rp 7,864

473.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.53 £20.37

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

381.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 £1.50

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

167.11%

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

$39.1K £28.9K

$24.5K Rp 431.7M

59.65%

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

$42.4K £31.4K

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

32.11%

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

$290 £215

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

247.34%

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

$31.88 £23.58

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

393.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.32 £25.39

$18.99 Rp 334.9K

80.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 £28.05

$56.0 Rp 986.9K

-32.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

Cinema Ticket

$10.60 £7.84

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

147.66%

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

$1,265 £935

$487 Rp 8.6M

159.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K £16.3K

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

275.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.1 £68.1

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

102.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.83 £33.90

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

25.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 £70.9

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

16.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 £108

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

81.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$969 £717

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

-13.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$819 £606

$701 Rp 12.4M

16.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 £874

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

-66.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 £737

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

-43.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,312 £3,930

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

87.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,986 £2,949

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

73.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,997 £1,478

$170 Rp 3.0M

1076.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.07

13.78

-63.21%

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

Last update for Kirkwall: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $969 in Kirkwall and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kirkwall pays 1076% 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: $94.0 in Kirkwall vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $264 vs $293, 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 52% in total monthly costs ($2,123 vs $1,396 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1076% higher in Kirkwall, 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: $969 in Kirkwall versus $1,117 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 $39.00 versus $94.0 in Kirkwall. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,123 per month in Kirkwall versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,123 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 52% less than in Kirkwall. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.