Cost of Living Comparison Between Kunming, Yunnan and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Kunming, Yunnan and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $828 in Kunming, Yunnan versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,268 in Kunming, Yunnan versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,708 in Kunming, Yunnan versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kunming, Yunnan costs roughly 42% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kunming, Yunnan is 38% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 ¥18.63

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

-22.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.34 ¥192

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

-13.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 ¥46.39

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

38.59%

Cappuccino

$3.11 ¥21.04

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

14.76%

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

$0.44 ¥2.96

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-67.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ¥1.68

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ¥9.56

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

-51.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥13.77

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

-48.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ¥13.57

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

11.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥11.61

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-31.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.07

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

15.52%

Eggs

$1.78 ¥12.07

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

-27.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.00 ¥47.35

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-52.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.12 ¥27.88

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

-4.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.01 ¥74.4

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-9.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 ¥8.54

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-67.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.20

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

-41.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 ¥9.32

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

-51.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.34

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-53.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 ¥2.27

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-82.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.55

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-62.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 ¥10.26

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

50.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-26.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 ¥13.80

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

-38.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.53 ¥44.18

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-72.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥4.87

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

-74.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ¥10.21

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

-47.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 ¥4.34

$0.27 Rp 4,800

137.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.21 ¥231

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

326.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ¥7.35

$0.46 Rp 8,150

136.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.90

$0.45 Rp 8,037

-37.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.66 ¥92.4

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

123.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.57

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

41.77%

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

$20.4K ¥137.8K

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

-22.07%

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

$17.5K ¥118.4K

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-45.50%

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

$51.7 ¥350

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-35.30%

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

$15.25 ¥103

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

275.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.27 ¥110

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

-30.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.6 ¥464

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-30.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.45 ¥179

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

298.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.46 ¥43.65

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

55.66%

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

$426 ¥2,881

$304 Rp 5.4M

40.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K ¥87.6K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

95.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 ¥480

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

27.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.49 ¥226

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

-12.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.6 ¥430

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-28.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥710

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

34.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 ¥1,889

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-72.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ¥1,396

$675 Rp 12.1M

-69.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ¥3,481

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-85.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 ¥2,385

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-82.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,020 ¥20.4K

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

6.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,303 ¥8,808

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

-42.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$843 ¥5,703

$165 Rp 3.0M

410.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.45

13.28

-66.49%

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

Last update for Kunming, Yunnan: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $279 in Kunming, Yunnan and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kunming, Yunnan pays 410% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Kunming, Yunnan vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $302 per month, with Kunming, Yunnan 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

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

Kunming, Yunnan wins on cost – living expenses run 71% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kunming, Yunnan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Kunming, Yunnan pays 410% 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: $279 in Kunming, Yunnan 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 Kunming, Yunnan – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $828 per month in Kunming, Yunnan versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $828 in Kunming, Yunnan versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kunming, Yunnan but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kunming, Yunnan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kunming, Yunnan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $828 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kunming, Yunnan hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kunming, Yunnan 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 Kunming, Yunnan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.