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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,580 in Placetas versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,896 in Placetas versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,212 in Placetas versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Placetas is roughly 12% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Placetas 18% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.07 CUP 362
$3.45 Rp 61.8K
336.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.51 CUP 324
$32.34 Rp 578.5K
-58.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.08 CUP 170
$4.84 Rp 86.7K
46.28%
Cappuccino
$3.04 CUP 72.9
$2.75 Rp 49.1K
10.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 CUP 75.7
$1.38 Rp 24.8K
128.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 CUP 44.70
$0.75 Rp 13.4K
148.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.07 CUP 122
$2.99 Rp 53.5K
69.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 CUP 70.9
$3.85 Rp 68.9K
-23.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 CUP 46.94
$1.74 Rp 31.1K
12.64%
White Bread (500g)
$2.01 CUP 48.32
$2.46 Rp 44.0K
-18.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.97 CUP 23.36
$1.17 Rp 20.9K
-17.09%
Eggs
$1.19 CUP 28.55
$2.43 Rp 43.5K
-51.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.64 CUP 183
$14.50 Rp 259.5K
-47.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.99 CUP 71.7
$4.35 Rp 77.8K
-31.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.24 CUP 294
$11.98 Rp 214.3K
2.17%
Apples (1kg)
$1.87 CUP 44.84
$3.72 Rp 66.5K
-49.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.07 CUP 25.75
$1.63 Rp 29.1K
-34.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.68 CUP 40.26
$2.74 Rp 49.1K
-38.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.08 CUP 25.82
$2.24 Rp 40.1K
-51.79%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 CUP 23.68
$1.92 Rp 34.3K
-48.44%
Onion (1kg)
$1.02 CUP 24.43
$2.28 Rp 40.7K
-55.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 CUP 24.42
$1.06 Rp 19.0K
-3.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 CUP 24.67
$0.72 Rp 12.9K
43.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.07 CUP 73.6
$3.29 Rp 58.8K
-6.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.86 CUP 237
$23.19 Rp 414.9K
-57.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.06 CUP 49.34
$2.78 Rp 49.7K
-25.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 CUP 73.0
$2.73 Rp 48.9K
11.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.17 CUP 4.09
$0.27 Rp 4,765
-37.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.23 CUP 485
$8.11 Rp 145.0K
149.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 CUP 119
$0.48 Rp 8,636
935.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.39 CUP 9.27
$0.42 Rp 7,511
-7.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.97 CUP 359
$6.22 Rp 111.3K
140.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 CUP 29.49
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
51.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$77.5K CUP 1.9M
$26.6K Rp 476.1M
191.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$68.8K CUP 1.7M
$32.2K Rp 575.9M
113.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$34.92 CUP 838
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
-55.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.82 CUP 356
$4.07 Rp 72.8K
264.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$221 CUP 5,315
$24.33 Rp 435.2K
810.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.62 CUP 951
$98.6 Rp 1.8M
-59.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.83 CUP 236
$6.34 Rp 113.3K
55.05%
Cinema Ticket
$0.97 CUP 23.33
$3.99 Rp 71.3K
-75.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$118 CUP 2,844
$305 Rp 5.5M
-61.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.9K CUP 260.9K
$6,642 Rp 118.8M
63.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.12 CUP 1,059
$54.1 Rp 968.6K
-18.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.56 CUP 733
$37.81 Rp 676.3K
-19.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$49.54 CUP 1,189
$86.8 Rp 1.6M
-42.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$65.7 CUP 1,577
$76.4 Rp 1.4M
-13.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$197 CUP 4,720
$992 Rp 17.7M
-80.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$707 CUP 17.0K
$673 Rp 12.0M
5.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$942 CUP 22.6K
$3,375 Rp 60.4M
-72.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$599 CUP 14.4K
$2,050 Rp 36.7M
-70.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$335 CUP 8,051
$2,805 Rp 50.2M
-88.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$364 CUP 8,745
$2,227 Rp 39.8M
-83.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$54.4 CUP 1,306
$167 Rp 3.0M
-67.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15
13.28
12.95%

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

Last update for Placetas: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $197 in Placetas and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 207% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Placetas vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $297 per month, with Placetas cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Placetas vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Placetas or Ubud, Bali?
Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Placetas. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Placetas or in Ubud, Bali?
On paper, salaries run 207% lower in Ubud, Bali. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Placetas compared to Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $197 in Placetas versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Placetas compared to Ubud, Bali?
All in, you'll spend $1,580 per month in Placetas versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Placetas compared to Ubud, Bali?
A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 149% less than in Placetas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Placetas or in Ubud, Bali?
At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,580 in Placetas, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Placetas. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Placetas or Ubud, Bali?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,408 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.
How safe is Placetas compared to Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Placetas 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Placetas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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