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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $681 in Pekanbaru versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $970 in Pekanbaru versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,258 in Pekanbaru versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Pekanbaru costs roughly 52% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pekanbaru is 49% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

-54.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.68 Rp 155.2K

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

-73.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.49 Rp 44.6K

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

-48.55%

Cappuccino

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

-48.36%

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

$0.47 Rp 8,346

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-65.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,653

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

-65.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 Rp 38.3K

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

-28.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 Rp 61.3K

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

-10.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-22.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

-51.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

-12.82%

Eggs

$1.78 Rp 31.8K

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

-26.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.88 Rp 302.0K

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

16.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.61 Rp 46.7K

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

-40.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 Rp 186.1K

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

-13.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 Rp 52.9K

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

-20.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 Rp 29.9K

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

2.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 Rp 36.0K

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

-26.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

-60.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

-47.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 28.7K

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

-29.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

49.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,365

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-43.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 41.1K

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

-30.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.82 Rp 354.6K

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

-14.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

-1.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 Rp 69.3K

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

41.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,287

$0.27 Rp 4,765

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.33 Rp 166.9K

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

15.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 Rp 15.8K

$0.48 Rp 8,636

85.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 Rp 7,187

$0.42 Rp 7,511

-4.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 Rp 39.0K

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

-64.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

-4.94%

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

$23.2K Rp 414.4M

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

-12.95%

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

$25.5K Rp 455.4M

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

-20.92%

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

$70.3 Rp 1.3M

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-10.30%

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

$6.58 Rp 117.7K

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

61.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.97 Rp 500.3K

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

14.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.15 Rp 414.2K

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-76.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.41 Rp 222.0K

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

95.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.21 Rp 57.4K

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

-19.55%

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

$174 Rp 3.1M

$305 Rp 5.5M

-42.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,096 Rp 55.4M

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

-53.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.18 Rp 611.4K

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

-36.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.35 Rp 650.3K

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

-3.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-24.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.4M

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 Rp 4.6M

$992 Rp 17.7M

-74.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$122 Rp 2.2M

$673 Rp 12.0M

-81.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 Rp 16.6M

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

-72.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 Rp 2.7M

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

-92.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,135 Rp 20.3M

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

-59.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$699 Rp 12.5M

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

-68.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 Rp 3.2M

$167 Rp 3.0M

8.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

13.28

-31.10%

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

Last update for Pekanbaru: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $257 in Pekanbaru and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pekanbaru pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $9.00 in Pekanbaru vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $297 per month, with Pekanbaru 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

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

Pekanbaru is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 8% 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: $257 in Pekanbaru versus $992 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 $9.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $681 per month in Pekanbaru versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $681 in Pekanbaru versus $1,408 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 107% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.