Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monroe, MI and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,368 a month against $2,181 in Monroe, MI, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Monroe, MI
🇺🇸 United States
$2,181
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,368
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Monroe, MI 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 Monroe, MI and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,181 in Monroe, MI versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Monroe, MI $2,181
  • Ubud, Bali $1,368

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,028 in Monroe, MI versus $2,314 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Monroe, MI $3,028
  • Ubud, Bali $2,314

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,874 in Monroe, MI versus $3,260 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Monroe, MI $3,874
  • Ubud, Bali $3,260

Living in Monroe, MI is roughly 59% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monroe, MI 62% above, Ubud, Bali 1% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monroe, MI
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.15 $12.15
$3.33 Rp 59.9K
264.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.41 $31.41
$35.18 Rp 633.2K
-10.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.44 $8.44
$5.80 Rp 104.5K
45.52%
Cappuccino
$3.43 $3.43
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
25.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 $1.47
$1.64 Rp 29.5K
-10.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 $1.03
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
24.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.96 $3.96
$2.70 Rp 48.6K
46.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.11 $5.11
$4.30 Rp 77.4K
18.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monroe, MI
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.84 $0.84
$1.50 Rp 27.1K
-44.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.76 $2.76
$2.30 Rp 41.4K
20.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.49 $4.49
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
280.51%
Eggs
$2.31 $2.31
$2.14 Rp 38.6K
7.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.13 $11.13
$17.48 Rp 314.6K
-36.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.50 $17.50
$4.03 Rp 72.5K
334.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$34.14 $34.14
$12.23 Rp 220.1K
179.15%
Apples (1kg)
$3.29 $3.29
$3.55 Rp 63.9K
-7.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 $1.53
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
-2.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.42 $6.42
$2.24 Rp 40.2K
186.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.55 $3.55
$1.93 Rp 34.7K
83.94%
Potato (1kg)
$5.66 $5.66
$1.88 Rp 33.9K
201.06%
Onion (1kg)
$5.58 $5.58
$2.29 Rp 41.3K
143.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.12 $2.12
$0.99 Rp 17.9K
114.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.23 $2.23
$0.53 Rp 9,475
320.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.25 $8.25
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
261.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.20 $19.20
$23.01 Rp 414.2K
-16.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.41 $2.41
$2.34 Rp 42.2K
2.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.86 $4.86
$2.91 Rp 52.4K
67.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Monroe, MI
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.02 $2.02
$0.24 Rp 4,315
741.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$8.82 Rp 158.7K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.19 $3.19
$0.48 Rp 8,684
564.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.13 $3.13
$0.46 Rp 8,233
580.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.02 $10.02
$5.45 Rp 98.2K
83.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.80 $0.80
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
-9.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K $33.9K
$24.6K Rp 442.2M
37.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$31.2K Rp 561.4M
-17.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monroe, MI
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$235 $235
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
183.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$64.4 $64.4
$6.45 Rp 116.0K
898.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.6 $51.6
$18.57 Rp 334.2K
178.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monroe, MI
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.27 $42.27
$55.8 Rp 1.0M
-24.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.11 Rp 326.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.59 $8.59
$4.38 Rp 78.9K
96.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monroe, MI
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$644 $644
$493 Rp 8.9M
30.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.4K $23.4K
$5,754 Rp 103.6M
306.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monroe, MI
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 $54.0
$46.19 Rp 831.4K
16.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.18 $49.18
$35.33 Rp 636.0K
39.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.4 $80.4
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
1.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 $119
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
52.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monroe, MI
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,029 $1,029
$1,142 Rp 20.6M
-9.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$924 $924
$676 Rp 12.2M
36.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,420 $1,420
$3,503 Rp 63.1M
-59.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,301 $1,301
$1,700 Rp 30.6M
-23.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,860 $1,860
$2,784 Rp 50.1M
-33.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,825 $1,825
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
-18.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monroe, MI
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,964 $5,964
$165 Rp 3.0M
3524.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.56
13.78
-52.39%

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

Last update for Monroe, MI: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Monroe, MI
$924
Ubud, Bali
$676 26.9% $248
Groceries & Markets
Monroe, MI
$479
Ubud, Bali
$290 39.4% $189
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monroe, MI
$351
Ubud, Bali
$108 69.3% $243
Eating Out
Monroe, MI
$204
Ubud, Bali
$109 46.6% $95
Clothing & Footwear
Monroe, MI
$136
Ubud, Bali
$108 21.1% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Monroe, MI
$59
Ubud, Bali
$65 8.6% $5.1
Getting Around
Monroe, MI
$27 *
Ubud, Bali
$13 53.4% $14

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,029 in Monroe, MI and $1,142 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monroe, MI pays 3524% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $31.00 in Monroe, MI vs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $479 vs $290, with Ubud, Bali cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Monroe, MI
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
12:17 12:17 PM
00:17 12:17 AM
12 h ahead of Monroe, MI
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
47,702
74,800
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Monroe, MI Ubud, Bali 15,870 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Monroe, MI
  • 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
Monroe, MI vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Monroe, MI or Ubud, Bali?
Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 59% lower than in Monroe, MI. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Monroe, MI or in Ubud, Bali?
Average pay runs 3524% higher in Monroe, MI, 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 Monroe, MI compared to Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,029 in Monroe, MI versus $1,142 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Monroe, MI and in Ubud, Bali?
Childcare runs $644 in Monroe, MI versus $493 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 Monroe, MI and in Ubud, Bali?
Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $31.00 in Monroe, MI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Monroe, MI or in Ubud, Bali?
At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,181 in Monroe, MI, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Monroe, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Monroe, MI or Ubud, Bali?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,368 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.
How safe is Monroe, MI compared to Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Monroe, MI 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Monroe, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Monroe, MI vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

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