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: $454 in Kurunegala versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $758 in Kurunegala versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,063 in Kurunegala versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kurunegala costs roughly 68% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kurunegala is 66% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 LKR 646

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

-45.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.83 LKR 8,233

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

-24.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 LKR 1,639

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

-0.20%

Cappuccino

$2.62 LKR 870

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

-3.32%

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

$0.44 LKR 145

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-67.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 124

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-47.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 LKR 636

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

-34.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 LKR 966

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

-26.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 569

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-4.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 171

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-79.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 283

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

-26.72%

Eggs

$2.15 LKR 714

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

-12.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.80 LKR 4,576

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-6.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 LKR 1,507

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

5.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 LKR 2,603

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-35.34%

Apples (1kg)

$7.57 LKR 2,510

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

97.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 372

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

-28.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,898

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

102.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 396

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-48.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 381

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-39.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 LKR 473

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 392

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

16.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 188

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-26.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.93 LKR 3,294

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

199.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 LKR 4,252

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-46.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 687

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

-25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 985

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 106

$0.27 Rp 4,800

18.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$0.46 Rp 8,150

-15.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$0.45 Rp 8,037

-22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 186

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

-90.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 419

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

59.49%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.7M

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

0.90%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.7M

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

10.12%

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

$26.63 LKR 8,831

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-66.69%

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

$1.96 LKR 650

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

-51.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.05 LKR 4,991

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

-36.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.18 LKR 2,714

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-91.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$1.32 LKR 439

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

-68.19%

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

$36.40 LKR 12.1K

$304 Rp 5.4M

-88.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 146.1K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

-93.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.62 LKR 3,854

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

-79.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.62 LKR 6,506

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

-48.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.16 LKR 14.6K

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-50.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.27 LKR 12.7K

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-50.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$99.4 LKR 33.0K

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-90.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 LKR 66.9K

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-94.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$153 LKR 50.8K

$165 Rp 3.0M

-7.27%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $99.4 in Kurunegala and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 8% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $302 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 213% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ubud, Bali earns 8% less. 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: $99.4 in Kurunegala versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $36.40 in Kurunegala versus $304 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $454 in Kurunegala versus $1,419 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 213% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.