Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Matara and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Matara: $576 a month against $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Matara, Sri Lanka
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Matara
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$576
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,349
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Matara and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Matara and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $576 per month in Matara vs $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Matara $576
  • Ubud, Bali $1,349

A couple spends around $839 per month in Matara vs $2,305 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Matara $839
  • Ubud, Bali $2,305

A family of three spends $1,102 per month in Matara vs $3,261 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Matara $1,102
  • Ubud, Bali $3,261

Matara is about 57% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Matara
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.73 LKR 1,241
$3.32 Rp 60.4K
12.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.54 LKR 8,159
$35.64 Rp 647.8K
-31.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.53 LKR 2,503
$5.53 Rp 100.6K
36.17%
Cappuccino
$2.44 LKR 810
$2.72 Rp 49.4K
-10.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67 LKR 222
$1.70 Rp 30.9K
-60.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25 LKR 83.1
$0.76 Rp 13.8K
-67.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.23 LKR 741
$2.65 Rp 48.2K
-15.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 LKR 1,017
$4.38 Rp 79.6K
-30.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Matara
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 LKR 519
$1.49 Rp 27.1K
4.70%
White Bread (500g)
$0.53 LKR 177
$2.28 Rp 41.4K
-76.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.76 LKR 253
$1.19 Rp 21.6K
-36.13%
Eggs
$1.53 LKR 509
$2.04 Rp 37.0K
-25.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.58 LKR 4,514
$17.70 Rp 321.7K
-23.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.84 LKR 1,609
$3.96 Rp 72.0K
22.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.26 LKR 2,415
$12.19 Rp 221.6K
-40.44%
Apples (1kg)
$6.71 LKR 2,230
$3.66 Rp 66.4K
83.33%
Banana (1kg)
$0.43 LKR 142
$1.52 Rp 27.6K
-71.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.46 LKR 1,481
$2.23 Rp 40.5K
100.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.91 LKR 302
$1.97 Rp 35.9K
-53.81%
Potato (1kg)
$0.92 LKR 306
$1.85 Rp 33.6K
-50.27%
Onion (1kg)
$0.58 LKR 193
$2.42 Rp 44.1K
-76.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 LKR 295
$0.99 Rp 18.0K
-10.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46 LKR 151
$0.51 Rp 9,332
-9.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.85 LKR 3,276
$2.22 Rp 40.4K
343.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.94 LKR 4,303
$22.24 Rp 404.2K
-41.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 LKR 596
$2.26 Rp 41.1K
-20.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 LKR 997
$2.97 Rp 54.0K
1.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Matara
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 LKR 104
$0.25 Rp 4,562
24.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$7.82 Rp 142.2K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.40 LKR 133
$0.44 Rp 7,989
-9.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.35 LKR 115
$0.43 Rp 7,817
-18.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$0.95 LKR 317
$5.41 Rp 98.3K
-82.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 LKR 458
$0.82 Rp 15.0K
68.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.2K LKR 14.7M
$23.8K Rp 433.3M
85.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.3K LKR 13.7M
$31.7K Rp 577.0M
30.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Matara
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$46.17 LKR 15.4K
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
-41.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.22 LKR 1,403
$6.45 Rp 117.2K
-34.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.99 LKR 6,977
$18.58 Rp 337.7K
12.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Matara
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$49.48 Rp 899.4K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.65 Rp 320.8K
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.60 LKR 1,530
$4.27 Rp 77.7K
7.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Matara
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$38.17 LKR 12.7K
$491 Rp 8.9M
-92.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,204 LKR 400.4K
$5,674 Rp 103.1M
-78.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Matara
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.04 LKR 5,997
$44.64 Rp 811.4K
-59.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$16.90 LKR 5,618
$34.95 Rp 635.3K
-51.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.9 LKR 26.2K
$79.9 Rp 1.5M
-1.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.70 LKR 13.9K
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
-47.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Matara
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$179 LKR 59.6K
$1,125 Rp 20.4M
-84.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$90.1 LKR 30.0K
$671 Rp 12.2M
-86.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,565 Rp 64.8M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,723 Rp 31.3M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,732 Rp 49.6M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,284 Rp 41.5M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Matara
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$105 LKR 34.8K
$164 Rp 3.0M
-36.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.69
13.78
-7.91%

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

Last update for Matara: October 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Matara
$229
Ubud, Bali
$288 25.9% $59
Eating Out
Matara
$103
Ubud, Bali
$108 4.9% $5
Accommodation & Living
Matara
$90
Ubud, Bali
$672 645% $581
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Matara
$71
Ubud, Bali
$104 45.8% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Matara
$70
Ubud, Bali
$108 53.6% $38
Sport & Entertainment
Matara
$9.2 *
Ubud, Bali
$58 530% $49
Getting Around
Matara
$3.4 *
Ubud, Bali
$11 237% $8

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $179 in Matara versus $1,125 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 57% higher in Ubud, Bali, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Matara versus $36 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $288 – making Matara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇱🇰 Matara
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
02:38 2:38 AM
05:08 5:08 AM
2 h 30 min ahead of Matara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
100,000
74,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 332 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 370 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18,175 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20,233 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Matara Ubud, Bali 4,170 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Matara
  • Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Matara vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Matara cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 134%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $864 per month in Matara and $2,023 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Matara, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $179 there versus $1,125 in Ubud, Bali.
What are total monthly expenses in Matara and in Ubud, Bali?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $576 in Matara and $1,349 in Ubud, Bali. That makes Matara about 57% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $38 per month in Matara and $491 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Matara or in Ubud, Bali?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Matara, where all-in costs run around $576, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,349. In Matara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Matara or Ubud, Bali more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Matara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Matara or Ubud, Bali?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Matara. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Matara vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?