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 $538 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $857 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $2,549 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,176 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $3,694 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Polonnaruwa is about 62% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Polonnaruwa sits 60% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 LKR 1,333

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

12.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.54 LKR 8,518

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

-21.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,870

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

76.95%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 913

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

-0.36%

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

$0.73 LKR 242

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-44.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 134

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 763

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

-21.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 LKR 1,130

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

-10.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LKR 597

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

-78.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 285

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

-29.17%

Eggs

$2.19 LKR 732

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

-10.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.94 LKR 4,650

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

-3.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,550

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

7.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.10 LKR 2,702

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

-33.66%

Apples (1kg)

$7.54 LKR 2,514

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

104.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 354

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

-31.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.95 LKR 1,985

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

113.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 415

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

-46.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 387

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

-41.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 474

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-38.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 382

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

8.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 190

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

-21.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.23 LKR 3,411

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

211.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 LKR 4,156

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-45.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 694

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-25.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 LKR 961

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

3.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$0.45 Rp 8,047

-15.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 108

$0.45 Rp 8,094

-28.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 190

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

-90.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 421

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

48.24%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

4.28%

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

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

8.10%

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

$59.4 LKR 19.8K

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

-26.46%

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

$4.43 LKR 1,479

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

9.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.22 LKR 5,077

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

-37.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,134

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

-15.84%

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

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

$304 Rp 5.4M

-87.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 147.3K

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

-93.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.70 LKR 9,239

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

-48.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.51 LKR 6,508

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

-49.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 LKR 23.4K

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

-18.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.00 LKR 12.7K

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

-50.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Polonnaruwa versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $297 – 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 161% 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 $807 per month in Polonnaruwa and $2,106 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 $538 in Polonnaruwa and $1,404 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $37.28 per month in Polonnaruwa and $304 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 $538, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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 $538 versus $1,404 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.