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: $1,544 in Placetas versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,896 in Placetas versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,247 in Placetas versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Placetas is roughly 13% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Placetas 13% above, Ubud, Bali 0% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.77 CUP 354
$3.44 Rp 61.0K
329.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.25 CUP 318
$36.31 Rp 644.2K
-63.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.82 CUP 164
$5.71 Rp 101.2K
19.44%
Cappuccino
$3.07 CUP 73.7
$2.67 Rp 47.4K
14.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 CUP 75.5
$1.75 Rp 31.0K
79.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 CUP 43.04
$0.87 Rp 15.5K
105.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.06 CUP 122
$2.95 Rp 52.4K
71.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.86 CUP 165
$4.52 Rp 80.2K
51.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.03 CUP 48.83
$1.62 Rp 28.7K
25.31%
White Bread (500g)
$1.99 CUP 47.75
$2.33 Rp 41.3K
-14.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.97 CUP 23.39
$1.11 Rp 19.6K
-12.61%
Eggs
$1.23 CUP 29.43
$2.20 Rp 39.0K
-44.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.56 CUP 181
$17.69 Rp 313.9K
-57.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.99 CUP 71.7
$4.10 Rp 72.7K
-27.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.24 CUP 294
$12.18 Rp 216.0K
0.49%
Apples (1kg)
$1.82 CUP 43.59
$3.71 Rp 65.8K
-50.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.11 CUP 26.73
$1.59 Rp 28.2K
-30.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.75 CUP 41.99
$2.28 Rp 40.5K
-23.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.08 CUP 25.86
$1.95 Rp 34.7K
-44.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.01 CUP 24.27
$1.91 Rp 33.8K
-47.12%
Onion (1kg)
$1.01 CUP 24.29
$2.33 Rp 41.4K
-56.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 CUP 24.31
$1.01 Rp 17.9K
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 CUP 24.52
$0.55 Rp 9,791
85.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.09 CUP 74.1
$2.23 Rp 39.6K
38.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.12 CUP 243
$23.07 Rp 409.3K
-56.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.05 CUP 49.20
$2.42 Rp 42.9K
-15.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 CUP 73.9
$3.00 Rp 53.2K
2.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.22 CUP 5.32
$0.27 Rp 4,823
-18.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.90 CUP 478
$8.98 Rp 159.4K
121.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.99 CUP 120
$0.48 Rp 8,582
939.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 CUP 10.02
$0.43 Rp 7,693
-2.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.16 CUP 364
$5.64 Rp 100.1K
168.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 CUP 30.61
$0.80 Rp 14.3K
60.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$77.6K CUP 1.9M
$24.9K Rp 442.5M
211.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$68.9K CUP 1.7M
$31.7K Rp 562.6M
117.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$34.46 CUP 827
$81.5 Rp 1.4M
-57.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.72 CUP 353
$6.49 Rp 115.2K
126.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$221 CUP 5,306
$18.77 Rp 333.0K
1077.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.68 CUP 952
$56.9 Rp 1.0M
-30.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.85 CUP 236
$18.73 Rp 332.3K
-47.41%
Cinema Ticket
$0.99 CUP 23.67
$4.54 Rp 80.5K
-78.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$122 CUP 2,924
$481 Rp 8.5M
-74.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.9K CUP 262.0K
$5,711 Rp 101.3M
91.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.82 CUP 1,076
$45.52 Rp 807.5K
-1.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.17 CUP 724
$35.88 Rp 636.6K
-15.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$50.6 CUP 1,214
$80.4 Rp 1.4M
-37.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$65.5 CUP 1,572
$78.7 Rp 1.4M
-16.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$203 CUP 4,877
$1,115 Rp 19.8M
-81.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$698 CUP 16.8K
$698 Rp 12.4M
0.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$939 CUP 22.5K
$3,637 Rp 64.5M
-74.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$603 CUP 14.5K
$1,737 Rp 30.8M
-65.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$334 CUP 8,010
$2,784 Rp 49.4M
-88.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$367 CUP 8,807
$2,290 Rp 40.6M
-83.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Placetas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$53.1 CUP 1,274
$168 Rp 3.0M
-68.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15
13.78
8.85%

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

Last update for Placetas: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $203 in Placetas and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 216% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $13.00 in Placetas vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $295 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 13% 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 216% 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: $203 in Placetas versus $1,115 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 $1,544 per month in Placetas versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – a 13% 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 122% 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 $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,544 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 $1,368 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 13% less than in Placetas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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