Cost of Living Comparison Between La Merced and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between La Merced and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $566 per month in La Merced vs $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $926 per month in La Merced vs $2,348 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,286 per month in La Merced vs $3,327 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

La Merced is about 59% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

La Merced sits 59% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.49 PEN 15.15

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

30.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 PEN 121

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

-1.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 PEN 23.73

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

23.12%

Cappuccino

$3.42 PEN 11.53

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

28.09%

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

$1.14 PEN 3.86

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-34.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.10

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

-28.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 PEN 9.15

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

-8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 PEN 15.48

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

1.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 PEN 5.67

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 PEN 6.94

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-11.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.40

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

17.12%

Eggs

$2.42 PEN 8.16

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 PEN 25.31

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

-57.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 PEN 20.12

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

45.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.09 PEN 30.66

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

-25.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

-73.05%

Banana (1kg)

$0.47 PEN 1.57

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

-70.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

-86.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.38

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

-64.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PEN 1.06

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

-83.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 PEN 1.59

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

-79.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 PEN 2.09

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

-38.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 PEN 3.20

$0.55 Rp 9,791

72.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.94 PEN 20.05

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

166.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.64 PEN 25.76

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

-66.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 PEN 6.68

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 PEN 11.18

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

10.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 PEN 13.91

$0.48 Rp 8,582

758.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 PEN 6.93

$0.43 Rp 7,693

376.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 PEN 24.87

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

30.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 PEN 5.81

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

115.00%

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

$22.3K PEN 75.3K

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

-10.49%

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

$25.9K PEN 87.2K

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

-18.48%

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

$70.0 PEN 236

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-14.02%

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

$17.07 PEN 57.6

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

163.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.18 PEN 95.1

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

50.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 PEN 25.64

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

67.40%

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

$183 PEN 618

$481 Rp 8.5M

-61.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 44.9K

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

133.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 PEN 184

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

19.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.22 PEN 119

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

-1.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 PEN 286

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

5.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 PEN 272

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

2.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

13.78

-35.12%

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

Last update for La Merced: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in La Merced versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $295 – making La Merced the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Ubud, Bali costs about 142% more than La Merced, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $849 per month in La Merced and $2,052 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $566 in La Merced and $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $183 per month in La Merced and $481 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in La Merced, where all-in costs run around $566, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In La Merced it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Merced costs $566 versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with La Merced. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.