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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,052 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,592 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $2,585 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,133 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $3,763 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Pietermaritzburg is about 25% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Pietermaritzburg sits 21% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.92 R 131

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

129.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.07 R 711

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

33.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.57 R 92.0

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

15.08%

Cappuccino

$2.14 R 35.27

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

-22.18%

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

$0.93 R 15.28

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

-32.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 R 11.56

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 R 26.98

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

-45.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 R 39.96

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

-37.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 R 17.20

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

-40.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 R 13.51

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

-66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.05

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

29.91%

Eggs

$2.28 R 37.58

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

-6.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 R 120

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

-49.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 R 76.9

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

7.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.06 R 117

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

-41.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 R 26.33

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

-56.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.85

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

3.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 R 31.82

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

-29.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 R 28.58

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

-22.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 R 25.20

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

-20.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 R 28.88

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

-23.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 R 20.38

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

16.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 R 14.95

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 R 47.71

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

-12.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.02 R 66.3

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

-82.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 R 23.08

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-49.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 R 29.38

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

-34.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 R 43.62

$0.27 Rp 4,786

877.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.28 R 302

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

125.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 R 28.16

$0.48 Rp 8,675

256.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 R 8.61

$0.42 Rp 7,545

23.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 R 68.1

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

-33.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R 20.04

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

49.38%

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

$23.7K R 391.0K

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

-10.97%

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

$22.8K R 376.9K

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

-29.05%

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

$232 R 3,822

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

195.56%

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

$30.00 R 495

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

637.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 R 960

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

139.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 R 636

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-60.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 R 84.3

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

28.07%

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

$151 R 2,489

$305 Rp 5.5M

-50.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,784 R 78.9K

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

-27.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 R 1,033

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

15.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.00 R 627

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

0.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$180 R 2,967

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

107.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 R 1,226

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-2.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$205 R 3,383

$992 Rp 17.8M

-79.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 R 3,105

$673 Rp 12.1M

-72.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 R 8,438

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

-84.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 R 6,319

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-81.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,624 R 59.8K

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

29.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$447 R 7,383

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

-79.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,071 R 17.7K

$167 Rp 3.0M

541.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

13.28

-13.40%

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

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $205 in Pietermaritzburg versus $992 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 541% higher in Pietermaritzburg, 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 $43.00 in Pietermaritzburg versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in Pietermaritzburg vs $297 in Ubud, Bali – so Pietermaritzburg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg, $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – roughly 34% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,578 per month in Pietermaritzburg and $2,112 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pietermaritzburg, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $151 per month in Pietermaritzburg and $305 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 68% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pietermaritzburg, where all-in costs run around $1,052, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Pietermaritzburg 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 $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg to $1,408 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 Pietermaritzburg. 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.