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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $662 in Pontianak versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,014 in Pontianak versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,367 in Pontianak versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Pontianak costs roughly 52% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pontianak is 50% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

-57.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.25 Rp 221.2K

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

-62.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.26 Rp 58.8K

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

-34.93%

Cappuccino

$1.71 Rp 30.8K

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

-39.36%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,891

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-59.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,653

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

-64.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 Rp 56.1K

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

6.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 Rp 45.2K

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

-36.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-33.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.3K

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

-51.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 17.1K

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

-17.39%

Eggs

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

-36.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.23 Rp 148.6K

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

-42.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 Rp 58.7K

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

-22.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.05 Rp 145.4K

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

-33.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

-36.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 Rp 25.8K

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-8.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.7K

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-35.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.9K

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

-33.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 Rp 25.1K

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

-29.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.6K

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-13.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 17.2K

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

-9.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,054

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-43.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.82 Rp 32.9K

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

-42.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.24 Rp 365.4K

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-13.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 Rp 37.1K

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-29.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

13.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,856

$0.27 Rp 4,813

18.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.00 Rp 180.6K

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

19.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,713

$0.45 Rp 8,167

20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,712

$0.46 Rp 8,298

-19.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 Rp 51.5K

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

-53.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 14.1K

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

-9.30%

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

$24.6K Rp 445.0M

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

-7.29%

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

$28.2K Rp 508.9M

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

-13.39%

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

$69.9 Rp 1.3M

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-11.59%

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

$4.27 Rp 77.1K

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

4.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.46 Rp 405.6K

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

-5.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.15 Rp 417.9K

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-76.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 Rp 110.5K

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

-3.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 Rp 56.3K

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

-22.19%

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

$91.6 Rp 1.7M

$297 Rp 5.4M

-69.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,664 Rp 138.4M

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

16.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.87 Rp 755.9K

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

-21.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.00 Rp 559.6K

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

-18.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 Rp 1.2M

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-24.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 Rp 1.4M

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

-2.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 Rp 4.7M

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-74.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 Rp 2.8M

$680 Rp 12.3M

-76.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 Rp 10.6M

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

-83.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 Rp 6.1M

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

-83.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,049 Rp 18.9M

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

-61.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$644 Rp 11.6M

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

-71.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 Rp 6.1M

$164 Rp 3.0M

105.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

13.28

-31.10%

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

Last update for Pontianak: July 25, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $259 in Pontianak and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pontianak pays 105% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Pontianak vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $298 per month, with Pontianak cheaper across the board.

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

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

Pontianak is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 110% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 105% higher in Pontianak, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $259 in Pontianak versus $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $662 per month in Pontianak versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pontianak runs roughly 19% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $662 in Pontianak versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pontianak but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Pontianak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pontianak is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Pontianak 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.

Expats usually find Pontianak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.