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: $665 in Makassar versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,003 in Makassar versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,341 in Makassar versus $3,763 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 50% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 Rp 54.2K

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

-12.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.36 Rp 167.5K

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

-71.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

-38.02%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

-34.55%

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

$0.65 Rp 11.7K

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-52.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,117

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

-46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 Rp 64.6K

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

20.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 Rp 64.9K

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

-5.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-6.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

-56.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 Rp 11.4K

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

-45.30%

Eggs

$1.43 Rp 25.6K

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

-41.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.37 Rp 96.1K

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

-62.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

-34.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.26 Rp 76.2K

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

-64.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 40.0K

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

-40.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.4K

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

-2.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.7K

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

-33.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.0K

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

-29.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.4K

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

-34.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

-31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 Rp 7,975

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

-57.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 Rp 8,444

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-34.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

-23.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.33 Rp 399.5K

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

-3.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 Rp 36.1K

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

-27.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 Rp 43.4K

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

-10.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,280

$0.27 Rp 4,765

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.56 Rp 81.7K

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

-43.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

$0.48 Rp 8,636

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,112

$0.42 Rp 7,511

-30.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 Rp 55.9K

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

-49.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

-3.70%

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

$16.7K Rp 298.9M

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

-37.22%

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

$18.4K Rp 330.0M

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

-42.70%

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

$66.8 Rp 1.2M

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-14.72%

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

$3.59 Rp 64.2K

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

-11.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.49 Rp 581.2K

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

33.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.23 Rp 415.6K

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-76.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.09 Rp 109.0K

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

-3.94%

Cinema Ticket

$3.15 Rp 56.4K

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

-21.05%

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

$106 Rp 1.9M

$305 Rp 5.5M

-65.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,103 Rp 73.4M

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

-38.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 Rp 521.3K

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

-46.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.17 Rp 450.3K

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

-33.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 Rp 1.5M

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-4.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.19 Rp 772.7K

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-43.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 Rp 3.8M

$992 Rp 17.7M

-78.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$673 Rp 12.0M

-75.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 Rp 7.6M

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

-87.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 Rp 6.1M

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

-83.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,355 Rp 24.2M

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

-51.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 Rp 9.8M

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

-75.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$209 Rp 3.7M

$167 Rp 3.0M

25.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-54.82%

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

Last update for Makassar: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Makassar and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makassar pays 25% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $297 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 25% 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: $214 in Makassar versus $992 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 78% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $106 in Makassar versus $305 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $665 in Makassar versus $1,408 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 $665 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.