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: $1,116 in Lake Balaton versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,690 in Lake Balaton versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,264 in Lake Balaton versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Lake Balaton costs roughly 21% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lake Balaton is 17% below, Ubud, Bali is 4% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.68 Ft 2,677
$3.57 Rp 64.7K
143.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.60 Ft 14.1K
$32.50 Rp 589.5K
40.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.53 Ft 2,630
$4.86 Rp 88.2K
75.51%
Cappuccino
$2.08 Ft 641
$2.75 Rp 49.8K
-24.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 Ft 432
$1.32 Rp 24.0K
6.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 Ft 287
$0.70 Rp 12.7K
32.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.92 Ft 593
$2.91 Rp 52.8K
-34.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 Ft 652
$3.79 Rp 68.8K
-44.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 Ft 324
$1.71 Rp 31.0K
-38.60%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 Ft 459
$2.47 Rp 44.9K
-39.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.90 Ft 585
$1.20 Rp 21.8K
58.33%
Eggs
$2.63 Ft 812
$2.44 Rp 44.3K
7.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.06 Ft 2,795
$14.38 Rp 260.9K
-37.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.00 Ft 1,851
$4.31 Rp 78.1K
39.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.96 Ft 3,687
$12.21 Rp 221.4K
-2.05%
Apples (1kg)
$1.79 Ft 553
$3.68 Rp 66.8K
-51.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 Ft 582
$1.55 Rp 28.1K
21.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 Ft 627
$2.79 Rp 50.5K
-27.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.84 Ft 875
$2.33 Rp 42.3K
21.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 Ft 339
$1.97 Rp 35.7K
-44.16%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 Ft 364
$2.31 Rp 41.9K
-48.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 Ft 462
$1.06 Rp 19.3K
41.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 Ft 159
$0.73 Rp 13.2K
-28.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.73 Ft 2,076
$3.28 Rp 59.5K
105.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.96 Ft 1,839
$22.79 Rp 413.4K
-73.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 Ft 320
$2.81 Rp 50.9K
-62.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 Ft 449
$2.78 Rp 50.5K
-47.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 Ft 364
$0.29 Rp 5,281
306.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.54 Ft 7,875
$8.06 Rp 146.2K
216.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.83 Ft 872
$0.45 Rp 8,146
528.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.17 Ft 360
$0.45 Rp 8,193
160.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.59 Ft 5,424
$6.24 Rp 113.1K
181.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.71 Ft 527
$0.85 Rp 15.4K
101.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.4K Ft 8.1M
$26.0K Rp 471.2M
1.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K Ft 9.6M
$31.7K Rp 574.1M
-1.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$145 Ft 44.8K
$80.8 Rp 1.5M
80.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.43 Ft 8,152
$4.06 Rp 73.6K
550.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.38 Ft 5,975
$24.42 Rp 442.9K
-20.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.16 Ft 14.5K
$97.7 Rp 1.8M
-51.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.63 Ft 5,127
$6.45 Rp 116.9K
157.83%
Cinema Ticket
$7.60 Ft 2,343
$4.04 Rp 73.3K
88.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$296 Ft 91.4K
$304 Rp 5.5M
-2.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,628 Ft 2.0M
$6,621 Rp 120.1M
0.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.8 Ft 21.5K
$54.2 Rp 983.6K
28.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.80 Ft 8,263
$38.78 Rp 703.2K
-30.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.6 Ft 21.8K
$86.1 Rp 1.6M
-18.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.8 Ft 24.3K
$76.7 Rp 1.4M
2.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$440 Ft 135.7K
$986 Rp 17.9M
-55.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$347 Ft 106.9K
$658 Rp 11.9M
-47.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$645 Ft 198.8K
$3,369 Rp 61.1M
-80.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$536 Ft 165.4K
$2,066 Rp 37.5M
-74.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,942 Ft 907.2K
$2,741 Rp 49.7M
7.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,335 Ft 720.0K
$2,228 Rp 40.4M
4.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lake Balaton
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$163 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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Lake Balaton and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Lake Balaton vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 vs $297, 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 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,674 in Lake Balaton and $2,106 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: $440 in Lake Balaton versus $986 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 $296 in Lake Balaton versus $304 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 $1,116 in Lake Balaton versus $1,404 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 26% 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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