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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $637 in Palembang versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $997 in Palembang versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,357 in Palembang versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Palembang costs roughly 54% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Palembang is 54% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$3.37 Rp 59.8K

-66.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.40 Rp 290.6K

$38.59 Rp 683.8K

-57.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.88 Rp 51.0K

$5.52 Rp 97.8K

-47.83%

Cappuccino

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

-50.76%

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

$0.89 Rp 15.8K

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

-46.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,318

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-68.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 Rp 29.7K

$2.63 Rp 46.7K

-36.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 Rp 61.5K

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

-18.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 Rp 19.4K

$1.55 Rp 27.4K

-29.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

$2.22 Rp 39.4K

-48.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

-23.01%

Eggs

$1.30 Rp 23.1K

$2.09 Rp 37.0K

-37.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 Rp 132.0K

$17.39 Rp 308.2K

-57.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

$3.87 Rp 68.5K

-24.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 Rp 140.7K

$12.55 Rp 222.4K

-36.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.2K

$3.62 Rp 64.1K

-37.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

-10.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.0K

$2.35 Rp 41.7K

-16.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 Rp 23.9K

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

-34.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

-41.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

$2.34 Rp 41.4K

-27.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

-24.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,779

$0.55 Rp 9,830

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$2.25 Rp 39.9K

2.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.86 Rp 369.7K

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

-12.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 Rp 32.9K

$2.31 Rp 41.0K

-19.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 Rp 54.0K

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

8.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 Rp 7,096

$0.27 Rp 4,827

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,221

$0.48 Rp 8,533

8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 Rp 6,297

$0.45 Rp 7,904

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 Rp 44.6K

$5.72 Rp 101.4K

-55.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

6.58%

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

$23.4K Rp 414.9M

$24.5K Rp 433.9M

-4.38%

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

$31.5K Rp 558.1M

$32.1K Rp 569.3M

-1.96%

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

$78.5 Rp 1.4M

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

-6.09%

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

$4.33 Rp 76.8K

$6.46 Rp 114.4K

-32.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.35 Rp 343.0K

$18.99 Rp 336.6K

1.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.15 Rp 357.2K

$56.0 Rp 992.0K

-64.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.64 Rp 170.9K

$18.62 Rp 329.9K

-48.23%

Cinema Ticket

$2.91 Rp 51.5K

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

-32.01%

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

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

$487 Rp 8.6M

-80.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,599 Rp 134.7M

$5,856 Rp 103.8M

29.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.47 Rp 770.4K

$45.56 Rp 807.4K

-4.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.49 Rp 540.3K

$36.38 Rp 644.7K

-16.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 Rp 1.3M

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

-12.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.4 Rp 1.3M

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-9.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 Rp 4.0M

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

-79.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.8M

$701 Rp 12.4M

-77.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 Rp 9.6M

$3,537 Rp 62.7M

-84.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 Rp 7.4M

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

-76.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,274 Rp 22.6M

$2,826 Rp 50.1M

-54.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$656 Rp 11.6M

$2,292 Rp 40.6M

-71.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 Rp 5.5M

$170 Rp 3.0M

84.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

13.78

-31.35%

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

Last update for Palembang: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $225 in Palembang and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palembang pays 84% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $16.00 in Palembang vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $293 per month, with Palembang 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

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

Palembang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 119% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 84% higher in Palembang, 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: $225 in Palembang versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $95.2 in Palembang versus $487 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Palembang – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $637 in Palembang versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Palembang but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Palembang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Palembang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Palembang 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 Palembang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 119% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.