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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $442 in Kurunegala versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $760 in Kurunegala versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,079 in Kurunegala versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kurunegala costs roughly 69% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kurunegala is 67% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 LKR 632

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

-45.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.46 LKR 8,556

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

-21.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 LKR 1,655

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

1.65%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 920

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

-0.36%

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

$0.44 LKR 148

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

-68.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 128

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

-49.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 LKR 665

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

-33.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 LKR 991

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

-23.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 LKR 566

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

-3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 173

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

-78.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 295

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

-24.79%

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 709

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

-13.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 LKR 4,763

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

-2.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 LKR 1,530

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

4.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 LKR 2,742

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

-31.89%

Apples (1kg)

$7.58 LKR 2,549

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

103.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 374

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

-31.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 LKR 1,951

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

112.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 424

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

-43.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 375

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

-42.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 LKR 479

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

-37.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 389

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

9.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 204

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-15.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 LKR 3,346

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

202.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 LKR 4,175

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

-46.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 694

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-25.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 999

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

8.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 107

$0.27 Rp 4,786

18.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$0.48 Rp 8,675

-20.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$0.42 Rp 7,545

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 194

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

-90.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 LKR 409

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

50.62%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

-0.84%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

10.04%

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

$26.71 LKR 8,977

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-65.91%

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

$1.96 LKR 659

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

-51.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.90 LKR 5,008

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

-38.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.61 LKR 2,892

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-91.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$1.31 LKR 440

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

-67.17%

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

$36.92 LKR 12.4K

$305 Rp 5.5M

-87.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$443 LKR 148.7K

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

-93.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.61 LKR 3,900

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

-78.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.16 LKR 6,439

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

-49.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.17 LKR 14.8K

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-49.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.28 LKR 12.9K

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-49.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$102 LKR 34.2K

$992 Rp 17.8M

-89.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 LKR 66.5K

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

-94.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$150 LKR 50.4K

$167 Rp 3.0M

-10.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

13.28

23.87%

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

Last update for Kurunegala: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $102 in Kurunegala and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 11% 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: $25.00 in Kurunegala vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $297 per month, with Kurunegala 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

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

Kurunegala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 218% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Ubud, Bali. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $102 in Kurunegala versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $36.92 in Kurunegala versus $305 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kurunegala – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $442 in Kurunegala versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kurunegala but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kurunegala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kurunegala is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kurunegala 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 Kurunegala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 218% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.