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: $2,295 in Kirkwall versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,429 in Kirkwall versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,564 in Kirkwall versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kirkwall is roughly 62% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kirkwall 71% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.70 £18.52

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

593.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 £61.0

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

148.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 £7.41

$4.95 Rp 89.3K

99.80%

Cappuccino

$3.98 £2.98

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

46.86%

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

$2.33 £1.75

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

73.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 £1.25

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

138.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.45 £4.09

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

86.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 £4.81

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

62.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 £1.19

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

-12.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 £1.22

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

-35.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 £1.66

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

90.52%

Eggs

$4.01 £3.00

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

63.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 £7.28

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

-33.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.64 £6.48

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

100.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 £10.59

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

16.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 £2.27

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

-21.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 £1.23

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 £2.10

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

-1.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 £2.61

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

49.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 £1.22

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

-14.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 £1.15

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

-30.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 £0.83

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

9.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 £1.14

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

94.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.95 £14.21

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

470.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.05 £8.29

$23.74 Rp 428.1K

-53.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 £2.02

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 £2.33

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

8.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 £2.47

$0.27 Rp 4,848

1118.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.8 £66.6

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

1006.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.55 £4.16

$0.46 Rp 8,231

1106.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 £1.20

$0.45 Rp 8,117

255.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.74 £17.05

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

272.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.46

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

145.57%

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

$38.3K £28.7K

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

46.56%

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

$41.3K £30.9K

$32.1K Rp 579.3M

28.43%

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

$297 £223

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

272.04%

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

$16.85 £12.63

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

315.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.20 £32.39

$23.52 Rp 424.2K

83.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 £19.58

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-73.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 £10.31

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

231.33%

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

$1,565 £1,173

$304 Rp 5.5M

414.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K £13.8K

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

177.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.7 £62.8

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

50.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.92 £32.18

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

12.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 £69.4

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

4.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 £74.7

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

27.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 £903

$1,006 Rp 18.2M

19.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 £752

$675 Rp 12.2M

48.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 £1,520

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

-41.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,726 £1,294

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

-15.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,112 £3,833

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

79.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,928 £1,445

$165 Rp 3.0M

1066.60%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,204 in Kirkwall and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kirkwall pays 1067% 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: $81.0 in Kirkwall vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $302, 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 62% in total monthly costs ($2,295 vs $1,419 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kirkwall pays 1067% 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 $1,006 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 $2,295 per month in Kirkwall versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,295 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 62% less than in Kirkwall. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.