Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pekanbaru and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Pekanbaru: $628 a month against $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Pekanbaru
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Pekanbaru Living Index
67

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

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Pekanbaru

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$628

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,368

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $628 in Pekanbaru versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Pekanbaru $628
Ubud, Bali $1,368

Estimated couple costs with rent: $983 in Pekanbaru versus $2,314 in Ubud, Bali.

Pekanbaru $983
Ubud, Bali $2,314

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,339 in Pekanbaru versus $3,260 in Ubud, Bali.

Pekanbaru $1,339
Ubud, Bali $3,260

Living in Pekanbaru costs roughly 54% less than in Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pekanbaru is 53% below, Ubud, Bali is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.43 Rp 25.8K

$3.33 Rp 59.9K

-57.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.20 Rp 147.6K

$35.18 Rp 633.2K

-76.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.41 Rp 43.4K

$5.80 Rp 104.5K

-58.45%

Cappuccino

$1.30 Rp 23.3K

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

-52.38%

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

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

$1.64 Rp 29.5K

-64.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 Rp 5,954

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

-60.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 Rp 37.3K

$2.70 Rp 48.6K

-23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$4.30 Rp 77.4K

-19.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 Rp 23.3K

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

$2.30 Rp 41.4K

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 16.1K

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

-24.58%

Eggs

$1.68 Rp 30.3K

$2.14 Rp 38.6K

-21.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 Rp 131.3K

$17.48 Rp 314.6K

-58.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 42.7K

$4.03 Rp 72.5K

-41.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.49 Rp 116.9K

$12.23 Rp 220.1K

-46.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 48.5K

$3.55 Rp 63.9K

-23.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.6K

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 Rp 43.4K

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

7.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

$1.93 Rp 34.7K

-34.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 Rp 22.3K

$1.88 Rp 33.9K

-34.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$2.29 Rp 41.3K

-16.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.99 Rp 17.9K

-24.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 Rp 6,350

$0.53 Rp 9,475

-33.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 Rp 38.9K

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-5.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.45 Rp 386.0K

$23.01 Rp 414.2K

-6.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

-18.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 Rp 54.2K

$2.91 Rp 52.4K

3.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,230

$0.24 Rp 4,315

20.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.44 Rp 152.0K

$8.82 Rp 158.7K

-4.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 Rp 16.6K

$0.48 Rp 8,684

91.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 Rp 7,154

$0.46 Rp 8,233

-13.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 Rp 48.2K

$5.45 Rp 98.2K

-50.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.88 Rp 15.9K

-13.64%

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

$23.3K Rp 418.9M

$24.6K Rp 442.2M

-5.27%

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

$26.0K Rp 468.5M

$31.2K Rp 561.4M

-16.54%

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

$62.1 Rp 1.1M

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-25.21%

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

$5.99 Rp 107.9K

$6.45 Rp 116.0K

-7.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.78 Rp 428.1K

$18.57 Rp 334.2K

28.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.34 Rp 510.2K

$55.8 Rp 1.0M

-49.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.31 Rp 149.7K

$18.11 Rp 326.0K

-54.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.03 Rp 54.6K

$4.38 Rp 78.9K

-30.82%

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

$96.0 Rp 1.7M

$493 Rp 8.9M

-80.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,773 Rp 139.9M

$5,754 Rp 103.6M

35.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.96 Rp 575.3K

$46.19 Rp 831.4K

-30.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.42 Rp 511.6K

$35.33 Rp 636.0K

-19.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.8 Rp 985.5K

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

-30.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

3.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 Rp 4.7M

$1,142 Rp 20.6M

-77.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 Rp 2.6M

$676 Rp 12.2M

-78.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 Rp 9.7M

$3,503 Rp 63.1M

-84.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 Rp 6.4M

$1,700 Rp 30.6M

-79.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,070 Rp 19.3M

$2,784 Rp 50.1M

-61.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$807 Rp 14.5M

$2,241 Rp 40.3M

-63.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$176 Rp 3.2M

$165 Rp 3.0M

6.96%

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 Pekanbaru: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Pekanbaru

$201 32%

Ubud, Bali

$290 21.2% 44.6% $90

Accommodation & Living

Pekanbaru

$145 23.1%

Ubud, Bali

$676 49.4% 367% $531

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pekanbaru

$92 14.6%

Ubud, Bali

$108 7.9% 17.6% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Pekanbaru

$88 14%

Ubud, Bali

$108 7.9% 22% $19

Eating Out

Pekanbaru

$55 8.8%

Ubud, Bali

$109 8% 97.2% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Pekanbaru

$34 5.5%

Ubud, Bali

$65 4.7% 87.7% $30

Getting Around

Pekanbaru

$13 2%

Ubud, Bali

$13 0.9% 0.2% $0

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Pekanbaru and $1,142 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pekanbaru pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $8.00 in Pekanbaru vs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $290 per month, with Pekanbaru cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Pekanbaru

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

10:25 10:25 AM

11:25 11:25 AM

1 h ahead of Pekanbaru

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,020,308

74,800

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Pekanbaru Ubud, Bali 1,830 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Pekanbaru
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

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

Pekanbaru is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% higher in Pekanbaru, 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: $262 in Pekanbaru versus $1,142 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pekanbaru – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $628 per month in Pekanbaru versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $628 in Pekanbaru versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pekanbaru but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Pekanbaru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pekanbaru 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, Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.