Cost of Living Comparison Between Pale and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Pale and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $978 per month in Pale vs $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,463 per month in Pale vs $2,585 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,948 per month in Pale vs $3,763 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Pale is about 31% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Pale sits 27% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 BAM 12.15

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

105.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.99 BAM 61.7

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

11.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.97 BAM 15.35

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

85.33%

Cappuccino

$1.60 BAM 2.73

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

-41.82%

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

$1.95 BAM 3.35

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

41.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 BAM 1.99

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

54.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 BAM 3.55

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 BAM 4.13

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

-37.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 BAM 2.32

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

-22.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 BAM 2.17

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

-48.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 BAM 2.81

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

40.17%

Eggs

$3.02 BAM 5.17

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

24.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 BAM 15.79

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

-36.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.51 BAM 14.57

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

95.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 BAM 21.75

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

6.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 BAM 2.37

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

-62.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 BAM 3.18

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

14.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.56

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

-24.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 BAM 3.55

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

-7.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

-36.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 BAM 2.15

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

-45.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

20.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 BAM 1.37

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.70 BAM 6.33

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

12.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.30 BAM 14.21

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

-64.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BAM 1.78

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-62.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 BAM 2.26

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

-51.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 BAM 3.17

$0.27 Rp 4,786

585.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.23 BAM 60.3

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

334.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 BAM 2.47

$0.48 Rp 8,675

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 BAM 1.42

$0.42 Rp 7,545

97.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.68 BAM 14.87

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

39.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BAM 2.61

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

87.65%

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

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

-0.09%

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

$26.9K BAM 46.1K

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

-16.41%

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

$174 BAM 298

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

121.77%

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

$19.09 BAM 32.69

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

369.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 BAM 41.20

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

-1.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.04 BAM 41.17

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-75.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.91 BAM 15.26

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

40.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 BAM 8.12

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

18.80%

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

$239 BAM 410

$305 Rp 5.5M

-21.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,323 BAM 5,692

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

-49.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.5 BAM 129

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

39.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.75 BAM 62.9

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

-2.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 BAM 173

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

16.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 BAM 213

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

62.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 BAM 321

$992 Rp 17.8M

-81.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 BAM 264

$673 Rp 12.1M

-77.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 BAM 491

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

-91.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 BAM 387

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-88.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,347 BAM 2,308

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

-51.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,124 BAM 1,925

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

-49.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$739 BAM 1,265

$167 Rp 3.0M

342.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

13.28

-69.35%

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

Last update for Pale: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $187 in Pale versus $992 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 342% higher in Pale, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Pale versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Pale vs $297 in Ubud, Bali – so Pale wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,467 per month in Pale and $2,112 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Pale and $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $978 in Pale and $1,408 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pale, where all-in costs run around $978, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Pale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pale – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Pale. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.