Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between North Charleston, SC and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,353 a month against $2,932 in North Charleston, SC, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

142

Cost of Living Index in North Charleston, SC
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North Charleston, SC Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index

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North Charleston, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,932

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,353

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,932 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

North Charleston, SC $2,932
Ubud, Bali $1,353

A couple spends around $4,243 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $2,297 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

North Charleston, SC $4,243
Ubud, Bali $2,297

A family of three spends $5,554 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $3,241 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

North Charleston, SC $5,554
Ubud, Bali $3,241

North Charleston, SC costs about 117% more than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both North Charleston, SC and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – North Charleston, SC by 116%, Ubud, Bali by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.08 $20.08

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

521.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 $92.3

$34.88 Rp 627.8K

164.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$5.70 Rp 102.5K

108.07%

Cappuccino

$5.93 $5.93

$2.62 Rp 47.1K

126.34%

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

$2.92 $2.92

$1.72 Rp 31.0K

69.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

211.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$2.65 Rp 47.7K

123.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$4.37 Rp 78.6K

81.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-34.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.19 Rp 39.5K

71.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

300.85%

Eggs

$5.10 $5.10

$2.16 Rp 38.8K

136.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.38 $7.38

$17.65 Rp 317.7K

-58.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.76 $14.76

$3.78 Rp 68.0K

290.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.30 $20.30

$11.95 Rp 215.1K

69.87%

Apples (1kg)

$8.26 $8.26

$3.60 Rp 64.8K

129.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

10.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

121.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

235.08%

Potato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

145.51%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

36.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.00 Rp 18.0K

152.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.53 Rp 9,509

286.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.94 $8.94

$2.29 Rp 41.1K

290.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 $15.38

$22.07 Rp 397.3K

-30.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.35 Rp 42.2K

-9.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.98 Rp 53.6K

-0.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.23 Rp 4,112

973.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.53 $49.53

$8.90 Rp 160.2K

456.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$0.47 Rp 8,466

548.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.43 Rp 7,737

193.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.64 $32.64

$5.47 Rp 98.4K

496.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

19.28%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$23.9K Rp 429.8M

12.14%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$32.8K Rp 590.1M

-21.32%

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

$223 $223

$80.0 Rp 1.4M

178.98%

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

$75.9 $75.9

$6.56 Rp 118.1K

1057.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$18.60 Rp 334.8K

363.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.45 $17.45

$54.1 Rp 974.1K

-67.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.28 Rp 329.0K

Cinema Ticket

$13.79 $13.79

$4.25 Rp 76.5K

224.47%

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

$920 $920

$493 Rp 8.9M

86.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K $18.4K

$5,597 Rp 100.7M

228.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 $65.4

$45.58 Rp 820.4K

43.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.10 $45.10

$34.96 Rp 629.4K

29.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$77.7 Rp 1.4M

43.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$78.5 Rp 1.4M

66.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 $2,063

$1,131 Rp 20.4M

82.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 $1,489

$673 Rp 12.1M

121.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,429 $2,429

$3,613 Rp 65.0M

-32.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,328 $2,328

$1,702 Rp 30.6M

36.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,844 $2,844

$2,717 Rp 48.9M

4.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,898 $2,898

$2,241 Rp 40.3M

29.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,763 $3,763

$166 Rp 3.0M

2161.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

13.78

-52.32%

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

Last update for North Charleston, SC: October 18, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

North Charleston, SC

$1.5K 50.8%

Ubud, Bali

$673 49.7% 54.8% $817

Groceries & Markets

North Charleston, SC

$450 15.3%

Ubud, Bali

$287 21.2% 36.2% $163

Monthly Utilities & Internet

North Charleston, SC

$385 13.1%

Ubud, Bali

$105 7.8% 72.7% $280

Eating Out

North Charleston, SC

$334 11.4%

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.9% 68.2% $228

Clothing & Footwear

North Charleston, SC

$159 5.4%

Ubud, Bali

$107 7.9% 33% $52

Getting Around

North Charleston, SC

$69 2.3%

Ubud, Bali

$12 0.9% 81.9% $56

Sport & Entertainment

North Charleston, SC

$45 1.5%

Ubud, Bali

$63 4.6% 39.1% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,063 in North Charleston, SC versus $1,131 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 2162% higher in North Charleston, SC, 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 $92.0 in North Charleston, SC versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $450 vs $287 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 North Charleston, SC

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

04:50 4:50 AM

16:50 4:50 PM

12 h ahead of North Charleston, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

97,471

74,800

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

IDR to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

North Charleston, SC Ubud, Bali 16,890 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

North Charleston, SC
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

North Charleston, SC vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Charleston, SC costs about 117% more than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,397 per month in North Charleston, SC and $2,030 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% more in North Charleston, SC, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in North Charleston, SC and $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,353, than in North Charleston, SC at $2,932. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in North Charleston, SC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,353 versus $2,932 in North Charleston, SC. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, North Charleston, SC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.