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: $671 in Pekanbaru versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $972 in Pekanbaru versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,273 in Pekanbaru versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Pekanbaru costs roughly 53% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pekanbaru is 50% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

-55.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.16 Rp 163.6K

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

-72.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.43 Rp 43.3K

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

-50.91%

Cappuccino

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

-50.18%

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

$0.50 Rp 8,881

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-62.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,259

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-65.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 Rp 39.5K

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

-24.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 Rp 59.1K

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

-16.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 Rp 24.2K

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-24.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-52.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

-15.52%

Eggs

$1.71 Rp 30.5K

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

-30.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.17 Rp 306.6K

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

16.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.62 Rp 46.8K

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

-39.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.17 Rp 181.5K

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-16.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 Rp 51.4K

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 Rp 30.1K

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

-29.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-58.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-47.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 Rp 29.8K

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-24.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

48.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,024

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-42.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.2K

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

-32.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.07 Rp 376.3K

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-11.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 50.0K

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 Rp 72.8K

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

42.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,261

$0.27 Rp 4,800

7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.04 Rp 161.5K

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

12.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 Rp 15.7K

$0.46 Rp 8,150

91.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 Rp 7,814

$0.45 Rp 8,037

-2.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 Rp 38.2K

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

-64.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-2.53%

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

$22.7K Rp 405.1M

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

-13.25%

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

$25.7K Rp 459.7M

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-19.85%

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

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-13.30%

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

$6.73 Rp 120.2K

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

65.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.30 Rp 505.4K

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

20.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.12 Rp 412.8K

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-76.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.25 Rp 218.7K

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

84.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 58.7K

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

-20.72%

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

$175 Rp 3.1M

$304 Rp 5.4M

-42.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,092 Rp 55.2M

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

-53.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.33 Rp 613.1K

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

-38.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.18 Rp 646.2K

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

-5.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.1 Rp 1.2M

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-26.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 Rp 1.4M

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-1.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 Rp 4.6M

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-74.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 Rp 2.2M

$675 Rp 12.1M

-82.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 Rp 16.2M

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-73.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 Rp 2.7M

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-92.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,026 Rp 18.3M

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

-63.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$722 Rp 12.9M

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

-68.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 Rp 3.4M

$165 Rp 3.0M

15.09%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Pekanbaru and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pekanbaru pays 15% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $302 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 111% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Pekanbaru pays 15% more on average, 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: $258 in Pekanbaru versus $1,006 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $671 per month in Pekanbaru versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 111% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $671 in Pekanbaru versus $1,419 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 111% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.