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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $522 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $863 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $2,585 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,204 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $3,732 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Polonnaruwa is about 64% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Polonnaruwa sits 61% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 LKR 1,259

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

10.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.04 LKR 7,979

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

-23.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.26 LKR 2,633

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

62.92%

Cappuccino

$2.62 LKR 833

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

-7.42%

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

$0.68 LKR 216

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

-49.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 118

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

-46.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 730

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

-23.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 LKR 1,052

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

-14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 547

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

-1.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 178

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

-77.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 257

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

-31.93%

Eggs

$2.18 LKR 696

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

-10.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.95 LKR 4,444

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

-4.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 LKR 1,445

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

8.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 LKR 2,495

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

-34.42%

Apples (1kg)

$7.55 LKR 2,405

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

104.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 343

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

-32.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.95 LKR 1,895

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

121.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 396

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

-46.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 364

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

-40.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 432

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

-37.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 370

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

9.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 192

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.98 LKR 3,180

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

218.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 LKR 3,984

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-46.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 657

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

-24.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 908

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

-1.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,010

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 124

$0.45 Rp 7,834

-13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 104

$0.42 Rp 7,278

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 192

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

-90.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 LKR 395

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

47.62%

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

$26.9K LKR 8.6M

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

2.63%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.2M

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

8.23%

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

$59.5 LKR 19.0K

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-24.13%

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

$4.42 LKR 1,408

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

11.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.08 LKR 4,804

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

-38.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.38 LKR 1,077

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

-16.34%

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

$36.48 LKR 11.6K

$303 Rp 5.2M

-87.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$436 LKR 138.8K

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

-93.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.88 LKR 8,884

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

-48.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.48 LKR 6,208

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

-48.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 LKR 21.9K

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

-20.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.46 LKR 12.3K

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-51.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

13.28

23.87%

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

Last update for Polonnaruwa: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Polonnaruwa versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $256 vs $298 – making Polonnaruwa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Ubud, Bali costs about 176% more than Polonnaruwa, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $783 per month in Polonnaruwa and $2,158 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $522 in Polonnaruwa and $1,438 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $36.48 per month in Polonnaruwa and $303 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polonnaruwa, where all-in costs run around $522, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In Polonnaruwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Polonnaruwa costs $522 versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Polonnaruwa. 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.