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: $666 in Pontianak versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,038 in Pontianak versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,409 in Pontianak versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Pontianak costs roughly 54% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pontianak is 50% below, Ubud, Bali is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.49 Rp 25.9K

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

-58.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.48 Rp 216.3K

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

-61.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.16 Rp 54.8K

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

-37.67%

Cappuccino

$1.73 Rp 29.9K

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

-38.87%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,476

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

-58.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,460

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

-62.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 Rp 53.9K

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

4.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 Rp 41.6K

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

-37.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Rp 21.2K

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

-29.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 Rp 19.7K

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

-55.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 Rp 16.0K

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

-22.69%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 27.4K

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

-34.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 Rp 139.5K

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

-45.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 Rp 56.1K

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

-22.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 Rp 137.6K

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

-33.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 41.0K

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

-36.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

-6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 32.2K

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

-30.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.1K

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

-35.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 Rp 23.6K

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

-28.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 32.6K

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

-14.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 15.6K

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

-15.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,272

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 Rp 31.7K

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

-41.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.33 Rp 387.1K

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

-4.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 Rp 36.6K

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

-22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 Rp 53.5K

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

7.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,168

$0.29 Rp 5,029

3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.68 Rp 167.7K

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

18.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,206

$0.45 Rp 7,863

17.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 5,944

$0.42 Rp 7,305

-19.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 51.1K

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

-52.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

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

$24.5K Rp 424.0M

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

-6.79%

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

$27.1K Rp 470.1M

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

-16.50%

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

$69.5 Rp 1.2M

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-11.41%

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

$4.26 Rp 73.8K

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

7.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.38 Rp 387.8K

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

-8.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.87 Rp 396.4K

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-76.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.18 Rp 107.1K

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

-2.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.01 Rp 52.3K

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

-25.50%

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

$92.0 Rp 1.6M

$303 Rp 5.2M

-69.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,626 Rp 132.2M

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

16.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.97 Rp 710.2K

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

-23.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.91 Rp 535.7K

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

-18.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 Rp 1.1M

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

-23.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 Rp 1.3M

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-4.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 Rp 4.4M

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

-74.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 Rp 2.7M

$674 Rp 11.7M

-77.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 Rp 10.3M

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

-82.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 Rp 5.7M

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

-84.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,116 Rp 19.3M

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

-62.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$828 Rp 14.3M

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

-64.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$355 Rp 6.1M

$173 Rp 3.0M

104.84%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $255 in Pontianak and $1,012 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 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 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Pontianak pays 105% more on average, 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: $255 in Pontianak versus $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $666 per month in Pontianak versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pontianak runs roughly 18% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $666 in Pontianak versus $1,438 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 116% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.