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 $500 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $830 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $2,348 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,161 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $3,327 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Polonnaruwa is about 63% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Polonnaruwa sits 63% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 LKR 1,418

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

24.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.83 LKR 8,542

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

-28.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 LKR 2,588

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

37.13%

Cappuccino

$2.47 LKR 816

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

-7.49%

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

$0.73 LKR 241

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-58.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.6

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

-71.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 LKR 724

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

-25.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,024

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

-31.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 LKR 516

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

-3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-77.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

-27.03%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 543

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

-25.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.05 LKR 4,315

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

-26.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 LKR 1,694

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

24.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,444

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

-39.33%

Apples (1kg)

$6.87 LKR 2,270

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

85.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 292

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

-44.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 LKR 1,389

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

84.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 411

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

-36.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LKR 335

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

-47.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 252

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

-67.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 LKR 308

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

-7.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 160

$0.55 Rp 9,791

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.43 LKR 3,447

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

367.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 LKR 4,550

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

-40.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 630

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

-21.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 937

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

-5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 137

$0.48 Rp 8,582

-14.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.43 Rp 7,693

-11.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 LKR 305

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

-83.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 LKR 423

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

60.00%

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

$31.1K LKR 10.3M

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

24.53%

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

$41.9K LKR 13.9M

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

32.28%

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

$54.5 LKR 18.0K

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-33.05%

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

$4.09 LKR 1,351

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

-36.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.14 LKR 6,990

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

12.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 LKR 1,505

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

0.22%

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

$38.55 LKR 12.7K

$481 Rp 8.5M

-91.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,217 LKR 402.5K

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

-78.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.29 LKR 6,710

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

-55.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.85 LKR 5,570

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

-53.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 LKR 26.5K

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-0.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.76 LKR 13.8K

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

-46.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

13.78

-7.91%

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

Last update for Polonnaruwa: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Polonnaruwa versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $295 – 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 174% more than Polonnaruwa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $750 per month in Polonnaruwa and $2,052 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 $500 in Polonnaruwa and $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $38.55 per month in Polonnaruwa and $481 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 $500, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. 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 $500 versus $1,368 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.