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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $726 per month in Palmas vs $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,097 per month in Palmas vs $2,540 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,468 per month in Palmas vs $3,660 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Palmas is about 49% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Palmas sits 46% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 R$18.08

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

-1.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.89 R$92.2

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

-45.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 R$36.35

$4.95 Rp 89.3K

42.63%

Cappuccino

$1.34 R$6.89

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

-50.55%

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

$1.71 R$8.80

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

27.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 R$5.29

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

47.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 R$6.30

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

-58.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 R$13.72

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

-32.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 R$5.35

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

-42.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 R$6.80

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

-47.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 R$8.81

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

47.41%

Eggs

$2.38 R$12.25

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

-3.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.46 R$33.27

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

-56.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.38 R$17.40

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

-21.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.86 R$30.19

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

-51.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 R$11.10

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

-44.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.10

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

0.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.11

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

-57.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.65

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

-52.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.96

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

-39.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.72

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

-49.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.80

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

-26.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.41

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 R$11.03

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

-35.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.00 R$36.04

$23.74 Rp 428.1K

-70.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 R$5.23

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-63.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.58

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

-28.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 R$3.40

$0.27 Rp 4,848

144.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.18 R$202

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

387.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R$5.62

$0.46 Rp 8,231

136.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.65

$0.45 Rp 8,117

57.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 R$32.39

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

3.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 R$5.32

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

30.38%

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

$20.5K R$105.8K

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

-21.42%

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

$27.9K R$143.6K

$32.1K Rp 579.3M

-13.18%

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

$115 R$594

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

44.16%

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

$10.43 R$53.7

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

156.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.87 R$92.1

$23.52 Rp 424.2K

-24.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.48 R$111

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-78.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.96 R$113

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

231.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 R$27.90

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

30.60%

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

$133 R$683

$304 Rp 5.5M

-56.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,557 R$33.8K

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

-0.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.10 R$191

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

-33.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.80 R$215

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

9.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 R$458

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

0.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.4 R$301

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-24.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 R$1,137

$1,006 Rp 18.2M

-78.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 R$750

$675 Rp 12.2M

-78.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 R$2,346

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

-86.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 R$1,509

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

-85.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,619 R$8,338

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

-43.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 R$5,977

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

-48.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 R$1,561

$165 Rp 3.0M

83.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

13.28

-17.77%

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

Last update for Palmas: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $221 in Palmas versus $1,006 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 83% higher in Palmas, 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 $18.00 in Palmas versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $302 – making Palmas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $726 in Palmas, $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – roughly 95% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,089 per month in Palmas and $2,129 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palmas, 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 $18.00 in Palmas and $33.00 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 $726 in Palmas and $1,419 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Palmas, where all-in costs run around $726, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Palmas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $726 in Palmas to $1,419 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Palmas. 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.