Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Kunming, Yunnan: $779 a month against $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kunming, Yunnan, China
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Kunming, Yunnan
🇨🇳 China
$779
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,349
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kunming, Yunnan and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kunming, Yunnan and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $779 in Kunming, Yunnan versus $1,349 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Kunming, Yunnan $779
  • Ubud, Bali $1,349

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,223 in Kunming, Yunnan versus $2,305 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Kunming, Yunnan $1,223
  • Ubud, Bali $2,305

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,668 in Kunming, Yunnan versus $3,261 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Kunming, Yunnan $1,668
  • Ubud, Bali $3,261

Living in Kunming, Yunnan costs roughly 42% less than in Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kunming, Yunnan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.31 ¥15.34
$3.32 Rp 60.2K
-30.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.51 ¥150
$35.64 Rp 645.8K
-36.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.44 ¥42.87
$5.53 Rp 100.3K
16.46%
Cappuccino
$2.96 ¥19.72
$2.72 Rp 49.3K
8.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ¥3.16
$1.70 Rp 30.8K
-72.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ¥2.07
$0.76 Rp 13.8K
-59.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.46 ¥9.69
$2.65 Rp 48.1K
-44.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 ¥14.72
$4.38 Rp 79.4K
-49.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kunming, Yunnan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.77 ¥11.80
$1.49 Rp 27.0K
18.79%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 ¥11.46
$2.28 Rp 41.2K
-24.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 ¥9.86
$1.19 Rp 21.6K
24.37%
Eggs
$1.60 ¥10.65
$2.04 Rp 36.9K
-21.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.46 ¥49.66
$17.70 Rp 320.8K
-57.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.56 ¥30.31
$3.96 Rp 71.8K
15.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.82 ¥78.7
$12.19 Rp 220.9K
-3.04%
Apples (1kg)
$1.43 ¥9.52
$3.66 Rp 66.2K
-60.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.10 ¥7.32
$1.52 Rp 27.5K
-27.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.58 ¥10.51
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
-29.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.19 ¥7.89
$1.97 Rp 35.7K
-39.59%
Potato (1kg)
$0.36 ¥2.38
$1.85 Rp 33.5K
-80.54%
Onion (1kg)
$0.94 ¥6.25
$2.42 Rp 43.9K
-61.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.68 ¥11.16
$0.99 Rp 17.9K
69.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 ¥4.42
$0.51 Rp 9,303
29.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.02 ¥20.09
$2.22 Rp 40.3K
36.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.69 ¥44.53
$22.24 Rp 403.0K
-69.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 ¥5.24
$2.26 Rp 41.0K
-65.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 ¥9.98
$2.97 Rp 53.8K
-49.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Kunming, Yunnan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.77 ¥5.15
$0.25 Rp 4,548
208.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.68 ¥198
$7.82 Rp 141.8K
279.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.54 ¥10.25
$0.44 Rp 7,964
250.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 ¥2.08
$0.43 Rp 7,793
-27.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.83 ¥98.7
$5.41 Rp 98.0K
174.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ¥8.24
$0.82 Rp 14.9K
51.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.6K ¥136.8K
$23.8K Rp 432.0M
-13.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.3K ¥115.3K
$31.7K Rp 575.3M
-45.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kunming, Yunnan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$55.4 ¥369
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
-29.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.85 ¥98.8
$6.45 Rp 116.8K
130.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.42 ¥116
$18.58 Rp 336.7K
-6.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kunming, Yunnan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.31 ¥282
$49.48 Rp 896.7K
-14.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.14 ¥167
$17.65 Rp 319.8K
42.44%
Cinema Ticket
$5.94 ¥39.51
$4.27 Rp 77.4K
39.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kunming, Yunnan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$351 ¥2,338
$491 Rp 8.9M
-28.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.9K ¥92.7K
$5,674 Rp 102.8M
145.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kunming, Yunnan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.9 ¥472
$44.64 Rp 808.9K
58.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.9 ¥346
$34.95 Rp 633.4K
48.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.2 ¥507
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
-4.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 ¥738
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
39.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kunming, Yunnan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$240 ¥1,594
$1,125 Rp 20.4M
-78.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$181 ¥1,206
$671 Rp 12.2M
-73.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$542 ¥3,610
$3,565 Rp 64.6M
-84.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$320 ¥2,132
$1,723 Rp 31.2M
-81.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,120 ¥20.8K
$2,732 Rp 49.5M
14.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,333 ¥8,868
$2,284 Rp 41.4M
-41.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kunming, Yunnan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$859 ¥5,714
$164 Rp 3.0M
424.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.6
13.78
-73.88%

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

Last update for Kunming, Yunnan: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Kunming, Yunnan
$192
Ubud, Bali
$288 50.4% $97
Accommodation & Living
Kunming, Yunnan
$181
Ubud, Bali
$672 271% $490
Clothing & Footwear
Kunming, Yunnan
$139
Ubud, Bali
$108 22.9% $32
Eating Out
Kunming, Yunnan
$88
Ubud, Bali
$108 22.1% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kunming, Yunnan
$88
Ubud, Bali
$104 18.7% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Kunming, Yunnan
$54
Ubud, Bali
$58 7.1% $3.9
Getting Around
Kunming, Yunnan
$36
Ubud, Bali
$11 68.2% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $240 in Kunming, Yunnan and $1,125 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kunming, Yunnan pays about 5.2 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23 in Kunming, Yunnan vs $36 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $288 per month, with Kunming, Yunnan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Kunming, Yunnan
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
04:21 4:21 AM
04:21 4:21 AM
Same time as Kunming, Yunnan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,583,000
74,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.43 CNY (1 CNY = 0.135 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18,120 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.52 USD). 1 EUR = 20,232 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kunming, Yunnan Ubud, Bali 3,970 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kunming, Yunnan
  • Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Kunming, Yunnan or Ubud, Bali?
Kunming, Yunnan wins on cost – living expenses run 42% 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.
Are salaries higher in Kunming, Yunnan or in Ubud, Bali?
Average pay in Kunming, Yunnan is about 5.2 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Kunming, Yunnan compared to Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $240 in Kunming, Yunnan versus $1,125 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Kunming, Yunnan and in Ubud, Bali?
Dining out is cheaper in Kunming, Yunnan – a meal for two runs $23 versus $36 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Kunming, Yunnan compared to Ubud, Bali?
All in, you’ll spend $779 per month in Kunming, Yunnan versus $1,349 in Ubud, Bali – Kunming, Yunnan is about 42% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Kunming, Yunnan or Ubud, Bali?
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.

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