Cost of Living Comparison Between Lake Balaton and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Lake Balaton and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,098 in Lake Balaton versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,667 in Lake Balaton versus $2,582 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,236 in Lake Balaton versus $3,757 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Lake Balaton costs roughly 22% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lake Balaton is 18% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.86 Ft 2,757
$3.42 Rp 58.7K
159.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.28 Ft 14.4K
$32.96 Rp 566.5K
40.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.77 Ft 2,728
$5.08 Rp 87.3K
72.64%
Cappuccino
$2.08 Ft 647
$2.82 Rp 48.5K
-26.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 Ft 420
$1.37 Rp 23.5K
-1.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 Ft 288
$0.71 Rp 12.2K
30.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.90 Ft 592
$2.97 Rp 51.0K
-36.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 Ft 653
$3.91 Rp 67.2K
-46.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 Ft 342
$1.75 Rp 30.0K
-37.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.50 Ft 465
$2.52 Rp 43.2K
-40.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.91 Ft 593
$1.21 Rp 20.8K
57.85%
Eggs
$2.61 Ft 812
$2.33 Rp 40.1K
12.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.34 Ft 2,907
$14.50 Rp 249.2K
-35.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.78 Ft 1,798
$4.36 Rp 74.9K
32.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.02 Ft 3,739
$12.05 Rp 207.0K
-0.25%
Apples (1kg)
$1.72 Ft 534
$3.82 Rp 65.6K
-54.97%
Banana (1kg)
$1.93 Ft 599
$1.61 Rp 27.7K
19.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 Ft 620
$2.70 Rp 46.5K
-26.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.97 Ft 923
$2.23 Rp 38.3K
33.18%
Potato (1kg)
$1.11 Ft 345
$1.90 Rp 32.6K
-41.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 Ft 366
$2.18 Rp 37.5K
-45.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 Ft 465
$1.03 Rp 17.7K
45.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 Ft 172
$0.77 Rp 13.3K
-28.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.92 Ft 2,154
$3.18 Rp 54.7K
117.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.96 Ft 1,856
$23.23 Rp 399.2K
-74.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 Ft 319
$2.85 Rp 48.9K
-63.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 Ft 460
$2.72 Rp 46.7K
-45.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 Ft 368
$0.29 Rp 5,022
306.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$24.64 Ft 7,667
$8.43 Rp 144.8K
192.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.82 Ft 879
$0.49 Rp 8,344
475.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.17 Ft 364
$0.45 Rp 7,812
160.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.50 Ft 5,444
$6.28 Rp 107.8K
178.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.76 Ft 547
$0.85 Rp 14.6K
107.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.8K Ft 8.0M
$26.1K Rp 447.8M
-1.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5K Ft 9.8M
$31.5K Rp 541.8M
-0.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$141 Ft 43.9K
$79.8 Rp 1.4M
76.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.29 Ft 8,180
$4.09 Rp 70.3K
542.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.50 Ft 6,068
$24.06 Rp 413.6K
-18.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.80 Ft 14.6K
$96.2 Rp 1.7M
-51.35%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.51 Ft 5,135
$6.53 Rp 112.2K
152.83%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 Ft 2,355
$4.13 Rp 71.1K
83.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$292 Ft 90.7K
$297 Rp 5.1M
-1.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,417 Ft 2.0M
$6,661 Rp 114.5M
-3.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.6 Ft 22.3K
$55.0 Rp 944.5K
30.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.69 Ft 8,615
$38.75 Rp 666.0K
-28.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.1 Ft 22.4K
$89.6 Rp 1.5M
-19.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.3 Ft 24.4K
$78.9 Rp 1.4M
-0.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$444 Ft 138.0K
$1,018 Rp 17.5M
-56.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$342 Ft 106.2K
$660 Rp 11.3M
-48.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$645 Ft 200.5K
$3,435 Rp 59.0M
-81.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$535 Ft 166.6K
$2,053 Rp 35.3M
-73.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,946 Ft 916.6K
$2,981 Rp 51.2M
-1.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,305 Ft 717.1K
$2,368 Rp 40.7M
-2.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$172 Rp 3.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.4
13.28
-44.28%

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

Last update for Lake Balaton: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Lake Balaton and $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46 in Lake Balaton vs $33 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $299, with Lake Balaton cheaper for home cooking.

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
Lake Balaton vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ubud, Bali cheaper than Lake Balaton?
Lake Balaton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,647 in Lake Balaton and $2,112 in Ubud, Bali to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Lake Balaton and Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $444 in Lake Balaton versus $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $292 in Lake Balaton versus $297 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Lake Balaton and Ubud, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Lake Balaton or Ubud, Bali?
At $1,098 in Lake Balaton versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lake Balaton but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Lake Balaton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lake Balaton or Ubud, Bali more family-friendly?
For families, Lake Balaton 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.
Which city is safer, Lake Balaton or Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Lake Balaton 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Lake Balaton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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