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: $2,378 in Nelson BC versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,299 in Nelson BC versus $2,582 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,220 in Nelson BC versus $3,757 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Nelson BC is roughly 69% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nelson BC 77% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.77 CA$20.23

$3.42 Rp 58.6K

331.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.0 CA$91.9

$32.96 Rp 564.9K

103.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 CA$12.32

$5.08 Rp 87.1K

76.97%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.46

$2.82 Rp 48.4K

41.49%

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

$2.22 CA$3.05

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

62.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.35

$0.71 Rp 12.1K

142.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 CA$6.98

$2.97 Rp 50.8K

71.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 CA$8.21

$3.91 Rp 67.0K

53.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 CA$2.67

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 CA$4.29

$2.52 Rp 43.1K

24.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 CA$4.31

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

160.33%

Eggs

$3.79 CA$5.19

$2.33 Rp 40.0K

62.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.05 CA$15.13

$14.50 Rp 248.4K

-23.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.88 CA$20.39

$4.36 Rp 74.7K

241.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.89 CA$27.25

$12.05 Rp 206.4K

65.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.22

$3.82 Rp 65.4K

-0.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 CA$0.86

$1.61 Rp 27.6K

-60.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 CA$2.24

$2.70 Rp 46.3K

-39.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.51

$2.23 Rp 38.2K

80.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.53

$1.90 Rp 32.5K

35.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.01

$2.18 Rp 37.4K

34.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 CA$3.69

$1.03 Rp 17.6K

162.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.52

$0.77 Rp 13.2K

138.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.94 CA$20.46

$3.18 Rp 54.6K

369.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.28 CA$18.19

$23.23 Rp 398.0K

-42.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.29

$2.85 Rp 48.8K

-15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.19

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 CA$1.98

$0.29 Rp 5,007

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 CA$84.9

$8.43 Rp 144.4K

634.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 CA$4.00

$0.49 Rp 8,320

495.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.35

$0.45 Rp 7,789

282.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.94 CA$47.87

$6.28 Rp 107.5K

456.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.72

$0.85 Rp 14.5K

48.24%

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

$25.2K CA$34.6K

$26.1K Rp 446.5M

-3.21%

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

$20.0K CA$27.4K

$31.5K Rp 540.3M

-36.49%

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

$143 CA$195

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

78.81%

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

$51.3 CA$70.3

$4.09 Rp 70.1K

1154.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$24.06 Rp 412.4K

141.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.93 CA$57.4

$96.2 Rp 1.6M

-56.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 111.9K

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.04

$4.13 Rp 70.9K

183.54%

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

$1,078 CA$1,477

$297 Rp 5.1M

263.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K CA$23.2K

$6,661 Rp 114.1M

154.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 CA$72.4

$55.0 Rp 941.8K

-3.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.71 CA$54.4

$38.75 Rp 664.1K

2.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 CA$116

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

-5.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 CA$177

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

63.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,417 CA$1,941

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

39.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,161 CA$1,591

$660 Rp 11.3M

75.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,210 CA$3,028

$3,435 Rp 58.9M

-35.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 CA$2,095

$2,053 Rp 35.2M

-25.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,272 CA$4,483

$172 Rp 2.9M

1801.62%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,417 in Nelson BC and $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nelson BC pays 1802% 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: $67 in Nelson BC vs $33 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $299 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 69% in total monthly costs ($2,378 vs $1,408 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Nelson BC pays 1802% more on average, 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: $1,417 in Nelson BC versus $1,018 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 635% less than in Nelson BC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,078 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 $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,378 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 69% less than in Nelson BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.