Cost of Living Comparison Between Nelson BC and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Nelson BC and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,363 in Nelson BC versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,272 in Nelson BC versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,182 in Nelson BC versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Nelson BC is roughly 70% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nelson BC 78% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.62 CA$20.53

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

309.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.4 CA$93.2

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

105.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 CA$12.53

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

78.24%

Cappuccino

$4.11 CA$5.76

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

45.74%

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

$2.16 CA$3.03

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.43

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

136.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.29 CA$7.43

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

80.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 CA$8.14

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

47.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CA$2.75

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

10.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

31.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 CA$4.37

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

171.30%

Eggs

$3.71 CA$5.20

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

53.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 CA$15.96

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

-20.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.21 CA$21.35

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

263.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.77 CA$27.76

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

63.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.26

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

3.02%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 CA$0.90

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-59.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 CA$2.30

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

-41.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.60

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

78.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.53

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

26.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

31.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

158.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 CA$2.56

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

130.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.01 CA$21.06

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

370.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.24 CA$18.58

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

-43.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

-16.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.36

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

12.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$0.27 Rp 4,821

433.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$88.3

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

651.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.07

$0.45 Rp 8,180

544.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 CA$2.36

$0.46 Rp 8,311

265.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.52 CA$49.85

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

485.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

41.86%

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

$25.0K CA$35.1K

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

-5.92%

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

$19.7K CA$27.7K

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

-39.48%

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

$142 CA$200

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

79.97%

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

$51.6 CA$72.4

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

1160.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 CA$83.7

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

149.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.78 CA$58.6

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-57.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

Cinema Ticket

$11.61 CA$16.30

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

189.53%

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

$1,056 CA$1,482

$297 Rp 5.4M

255.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K CA$23.7K

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

155.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 CA$74.0

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

-1.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.14 CA$56.3

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

5.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 CA$121

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-2.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 CA$181

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

68.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 CA$1,928

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

34.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 CA$1,641

$680 Rp 12.3M

71.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,249 CA$3,157

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

-35.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 CA$2,142

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

-26.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,185 CA$4,471

$164 Rp 3.0M

1845.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

13.28

-50.83%

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

Last update for Nelson BC: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,373 in Nelson BC and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nelson BC pays 1846% 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: $66.0 in Nelson BC vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $298 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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

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

Nelson BC and Ubud, Bali differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($2,363 vs $1,392 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1846% higher in Nelson BC, 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: $1,373 in Nelson BC versus $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 652% less than in Nelson BC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,056 in Nelson BC versus $297 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,363 in Nelson BC, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Nelson BC. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Nelson BC 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Nelson BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.