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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $334 in Kota versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $543 in Kota versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $751 in Kota versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kota costs roughly 76% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kota is 76% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ₹194

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

-39.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.39 ₹797

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

-78.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.55 ₹242

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

-53.80%

Cappuccino

$0.70 ₹66.7

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

-73.48%

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

$0.39 ₹36.60

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

-76.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹15.83

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

-77.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₹151

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

-39.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ₹298

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

-26.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 ₹60.6

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

-58.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.43 ₹41.08

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

-80.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.63 ₹59.8

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

-44.25%

Eggs

$0.82 ₹77.7

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

-60.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.44 ₹422

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

-74.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ₹245

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 ₹154

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

-55.25%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 ₹52.6

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

-64.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 ₹64.5

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

-71.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.41 ₹38.91

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

-80.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 ₹28.90

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

-84.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.31

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

-82.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 ₹31.67

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

-67.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.40

$0.55 Rp 9,854

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ₹406

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

89.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.56 ₹718

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

-68.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₹146

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₹176

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

-33.93%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.96 ₹471

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₹48.49

$0.27 Rp 4,839

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.48 ₹2,514

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

205.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.73

$0.48 Rp 8,554

-31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 ₹18.95

$0.45 Rp 7,924

-55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ₹102

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

-81.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₹104

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

43.42%

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

$15.8K ₹1.5M

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

-35.53%

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

$17.2K ₹1.6M

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

-46.39%

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

$13.03 ₹1,237

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

-84.40%

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

$2.59 ₹246

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

-59.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.44 ₹611

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

-66.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.63 ₹1,009

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

-81.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.29 ₹407

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

-76.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 ₹295

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

-27.34%

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

$34.45 ₹3,271

$487 Rp 8.6M

-92.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$665 ₹63.1K

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

-88.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.27 ₹2,115

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

-51.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.38 ₹3,170

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

-8.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.18 ₹3,341

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

-57.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.81 ₹1,976

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-74.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$143 ₹13.6K

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

-87.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$81.3 ₹7,717

$701 Rp 12.5M

-88.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 ₹26.0K

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

-92.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 ₹16.4K

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

-90.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$555 ₹52.7K

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

-80.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$341 ₹32.4K

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

-85.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$433 ₹41.1K

$170 Rp 3.0M

155.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

13.78

-45.57%

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

Last update for Kota: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $143 in Kota and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kota pays 155% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $8.00 in Kota vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $92.0 vs $293 per month, with Kota 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

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

Kota and Ubud, Bali differ by about 318% in total monthly costs ($334 vs $1,396 including rent). Kota is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 155% higher in Kota, 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: $143 in Kota versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 217% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kota – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $334 in Kota versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kota but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kota 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, Kota 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 Kota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 318% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.