Cost of Living Comparison Between Makassar and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Makassar and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $660 in Makassar versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $990 in Makassar versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,319 in Makassar versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Makassar costs roughly 53% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Makassar is 52% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

-48.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.14 Rp 162.4K

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

-76.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 Rp 58.8K

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

-40.04%

Cappuccino

$1.93 Rp 34.4K

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

-26.89%

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

$0.47 Rp 8,344

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

-71.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 Rp 6,423

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

-53.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 Rp 45.4K

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

-3.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 Rp 58.0K

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

-23.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

0.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 Rp 18.6K

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

-52.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.63 Rp 11.2K

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

-44.25%

Eggs

$1.50 Rp 26.7K

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

-28.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 Rp 111.7K

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

-63.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 Rp 62.4K

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

-9.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 Rp 93.1K

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

-58.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 Rp 43.9K

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

-31.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

-10.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 Rp 35.8K

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

-14.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.5K

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

-8.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 Rp 20.3K

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

-40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

-32.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

-28.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 Rp 6,834

$0.55 Rp 9,854

-30.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

17.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.51 Rp 399.9K

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

-5.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

-20.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

-20.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,159

$0.27 Rp 4,839

7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.27 Rp 75.8K

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

-50.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 Rp 9,106

$0.48 Rp 8,554

6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,252

$0.45 Rp 7,924

-22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 49.1K

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

-51.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

2.63%

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

$15.5K Rp 274.7M

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

-36.83%

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

$17.1K Rp 302.9M

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

-46.92%

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

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

6.12%

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

$2.65 Rp 47.1K

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

-58.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.53 Rp 453.6K

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

34.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.97 Rp 390.3K

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

-60.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.62 Rp 401.9K

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

21.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 Rp 60.7K

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

-20.09%

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

$95.8 Rp 1.7M

$487 Rp 8.6M

-80.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,864 Rp 68.6M

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

-34.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.10 Rp 481.4K

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

-40.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.75 Rp 421.9K

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

-34.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 Rp 1.3M

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

-9.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.26 Rp 733.0K

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-48.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 Rp 3.5M

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

-82.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

$701 Rp 12.5M

-78.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 Rp 7.1M

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

-88.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 Rp 5.6M

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

-82.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,415 Rp 25.1M

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

-49.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$558 Rp 9.9M

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

-75.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$216 Rp 3.8M

$170 Rp 3.0M

27.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-56.46%

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

Last update for Makassar: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $197 in Makassar and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makassar pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $9.00 in Makassar vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $293 per month, with Makassar 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

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

Makassar wins on cost – living expenses run 112% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makassar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Makassar, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $197 in Makassar versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Makassar runs roughly 103% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $95.8 in Makassar versus $487 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $660 in Makassar versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Makassar but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Makassar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Makassar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $660 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makassar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makassar 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 Makassar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.