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: $1,111 in Lake Balaton versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,684 in Lake Balaton versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,257 in Lake Balaton versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Lake Balaton costs roughly 19% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lake Balaton is 19% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.76 Ft 2,744
$3.33 Rp 58.7K
163.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.68 Ft 14.6K
$35.82 Rp 630.7K
30.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.54 Ft 2,675
$5.63 Rp 99.1K
51.69%
Cappuccino
$2.00 Ft 627
$2.82 Rp 49.7K
-29.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 Ft 425
$1.75 Rp 30.8K
-22.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01 Ft 315
$0.80 Rp 14.0K
26.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.89 Ft 592
$3.04 Rp 53.6K
-37.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 Ft 660
$4.30 Rp 75.7K
-50.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 Ft 329
$1.61 Rp 28.3K
-34.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.56 Ft 489
$2.27 Rp 39.9K
-31.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.90 Ft 596
$1.17 Rp 20.6K
62.39%
Eggs
$2.70 Ft 845
$2.17 Rp 38.2K
24.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.46 Ft 2,962
$17.63 Rp 310.5K
-46.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.80 Ft 1,818
$4.05 Rp 71.4K
43.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.96 Ft 3,745
$12.18 Rp 214.5K
-1.81%
Apples (1kg)
$1.80 Ft 564
$3.62 Rp 63.7K
-50.28%
Banana (1kg)
$2.00 Ft 626
$1.64 Rp 28.8K
21.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 Ft 623
$2.31 Rp 40.6K
-13.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.92 Ft 914
$1.96 Rp 34.5K
48.98%
Potato (1kg)
$1.06 Ft 331
$1.84 Rp 32.5K
-42.39%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 Ft 368
$2.37 Rp 41.7K
-50.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.49 Ft 466
$1.05 Rp 18.5K
41.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 Ft 161
$0.54 Rp 9,560
-5.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.91 Ft 2,165
$2.30 Rp 40.6K
200.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.81 Ft 1,819
$23.08 Rp 406.4K
-74.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 Ft 324
$2.34 Rp 41.2K
-55.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 Ft 462
$3.07 Rp 54.0K
-51.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.14 Ft 356
$0.25 Rp 4,365
356.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.47 Ft 7,978
$9.42 Rp 165.9K
170.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.83 Ft 888
$0.49 Rp 8,631
477.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.13 Ft 353
$0.47 Rp 8,349
140.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.46 Ft 5,468
$5.60 Rp 98.6K
211.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.67 Ft 524
$0.81 Rp 14.2K
106.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.5K Ft 8.0M
$25.0K Rp 440.3M
2.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.4K Ft 9.5M
$31.1K Rp 547.0M
-2.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$142 Ft 44.4K
$82.7 Rp 1.5M
71.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.40 Ft 8,268
$6.49 Rp 114.2K
306.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.81 Ft 6,206
$18.79 Rp 330.8K
5.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.80 Ft 14.7K
$55.2 Rp 972.6K
-15.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.10 Ft 5,358
$18.21 Rp 320.6K
-6.10%
Cinema Ticket
$7.23 Ft 2,266
$4.30 Rp 75.7K
68.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$298 Ft 93.4K
$494 Rp 8.7M
-39.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,424 Ft 2.0M
$5,917 Rp 104.2M
8.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.5 Ft 22.4K
$46.28 Rp 814.8K
54.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.54 Ft 8,627
$36.44 Rp 641.6K
-24.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.2 Ft 22.9K
$80.7 Rp 1.4M
-9.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 Ft 24.7K
$78.8 Rp 1.4M
0.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$439 Ft 137.4K
$1,114 Rp 19.6M
-60.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$341 Ft 106.8K
$693 Rp 12.2M
-50.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$639 Ft 200.2K
$3,639 Rp 64.1M
-82.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$525 Ft 164.5K
$1,712 Rp 30.1M
-69.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,974 Ft 931.6K
$2,761 Rp 48.6M
7.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,270 Ft 711.1K
$2,293 Rp 40.4M
-0.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$167 Rp 2.9M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.4
13.78
-46.30%

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

Last update for Lake Balaton: September 8, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Lake Balaton and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Lake Balaton vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $294, 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,666 in Lake Balaton and $2,067 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: $439 in Lake Balaton versus $1,114 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 $298 in Lake Balaton versus $494 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 in Ubud, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 34% 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 living in Lake Balaton or in Ubud, Bali?
At $1,111 in Lake Balaton versus $1,378 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 24% 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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