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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $925 in Margate versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,456 in Margate versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,987 in Margate versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Margate costs roughly 32% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Margate is 32% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Margate
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.72 R 125
$3.44 Rp 61.0K
124.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.09 R 619
$36.31 Rp 644.2K
4.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.34 R 103
$5.71 Rp 101.2K
11.03%
Cappuccino
$1.87 R 30.37
$2.67 Rp 47.4K
-29.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 R 18.15
$1.75 Rp 31.0K
-36.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79 R 12.89
$0.87 Rp 15.5K
-9.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.45 R 39.76
$2.95 Rp 52.4K
-16.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 R 37.85
$4.52 Rp 80.2K
-48.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Margate
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 R 17.08
$1.62 Rp 28.7K
-35.19%
White Bread (500g)
$0.94 R 15.29
$2.33 Rp 41.3K
-59.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 R 18.82
$1.11 Rp 19.6K
4.50%
Eggs
$2.53 R 41.17
$2.20 Rp 39.0K
15.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.39 R 87.6
$17.69 Rp 313.9K
-69.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.60 R 58.5
$4.10 Rp 72.7K
-12.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.06 R 98.4
$12.18 Rp 216.0K
-50.25%
Apples (1kg)
$1.20 R 19.57
$3.71 Rp 65.8K
-67.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.29 R 20.90
$1.59 Rp 28.2K
-18.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.10 R 17.91
$2.28 Rp 40.5K
-51.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 R 24.38
$1.95 Rp 34.7K
-23.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.12 R 18.22
$1.91 Rp 33.8K
-41.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.35 R 22.00
$2.33 Rp 41.4K
-42.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 R 18.60
$1.01 Rp 17.9K
12.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 R 16.26
$0.55 Rp 9,791
81.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.74 R 28.28
$2.23 Rp 39.6K
-21.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.75 R 61.0
$23.07 Rp 409.3K
-83.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 R 24.29
$2.42 Rp 42.9K
-38.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 R 30.98
$3.00 Rp 53.2K
-36.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Margate
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.51 R 24.60
$0.27 Rp 4,823
459.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$8.98 Rp 159.4K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 R 7.85
$0.48 Rp 8,582
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.77 R 12.45
$0.43 Rp 7,693
79.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.03 R 131
$5.64 Rp 100.1K
42.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 R 22.93
$0.80 Rp 14.3K
76.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K R 597.4K
$24.9K Rp 442.5M
47.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K R 542.4K
$31.7K Rp 562.6M
5.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Margate
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.6 R 1,034
$81.5 Rp 1.4M
-21.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.81 R 306
$6.49 Rp 115.2K
189.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.67 R 563
$18.77 Rp 333.0K
84.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Margate
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.97 R 536
$56.9 Rp 1.0M
-42.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.73 Rp 332.3K
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.33 R 70.4
$4.54 Rp 80.5K
-4.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Margate
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$332 R 5,395
$481 Rp 8.5M
-30.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,964 R 129.4K
$5,711 Rp 101.3M
39.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Margate
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.3 R 915
$45.52 Rp 807.5K
23.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$18.63 R 303
$35.88 Rp 636.6K
-48.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.6 R 1,212
$80.4 Rp 1.4M
-7.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.7 R 824
$78.7 Rp 1.4M
-35.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Margate
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$425 R 6,900
$1,115 Rp 19.8M
-61.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$372 R 6,051
$698 Rp 12.4M
-46.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 R 12.8K
$3,637 Rp 64.5M
-78.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$789 R 12.8K
$1,737 Rp 30.8M
-54.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$887 R 14.4K
$2,784 Rp 49.4M
-68.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$702 R 11.4K
$2,290 Rp 40.6M
-69.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Margate
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,556 R 25.3K
$168 Rp 3.0M
826.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.81
13.78
-14.30%

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

Last update for Margate: September 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Margate and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Margate pays 826% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Margate vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $154 vs $295, with Margate 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
Margate vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Margate or Ubud, Bali?
Margate wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Margate the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Margate or in Ubud, Bali?
Average pay runs 826% higher in Margate, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Margate compared to Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $425 in Margate versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Margate and in Ubud, Bali?
Childcare runs $332 in Margate versus $481 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Margate and in Ubud, Bali?
Dining out is cheaper in Margate – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Margate or in Ubud, Bali?
At $925 in Margate versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Margate but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Margate the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Margate or Ubud, Bali?
Both work as nomad bases, but Margate delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $925 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Margate hard to pass up.
How safe is Margate compared to Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Margate 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Margate gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% 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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