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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,308 per month in Popayan vs $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Popayan vs $2,334 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,778 per month in Popayan vs $3,273 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Popayan is about 6% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Popayan sits 5% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.52 COP 20.5K

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

93.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.39 COP 120.9K

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

-0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 COP 28.0K

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

61.23%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,247

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

11.36%

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

$1.46 COP 4,604

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

-12.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,612

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

7.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 COP 7,333

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

-11.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 COP 13.1K

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

-2.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 COP 4,392

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

-10.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 COP 7,950

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

13.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,311

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

21.24%

Eggs

$2.93 COP 9,220

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

40.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.39 COP 23.3K

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

-57.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 COP 34.4K

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

181.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 COP 41.2K

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

4.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 COP 11.2K

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

-1.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,828

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

-1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,157

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

-16.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,373

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

-1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,537

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

-24.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,058

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

-31.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,141

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

-2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 COP 3,135

$0.55 Rp 9,854

81.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 COP 12.9K

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

82.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 COP 48.0K

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

-35.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,170

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

-42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 COP 8,866

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 COP 3,080

$0.27 Rp 4,839

262.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 COP 5,533

$0.48 Rp 8,554

266.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 COP 6,535

$0.45 Rp 7,924

362.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.81 COP 27.7K

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

54.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,258

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

77.63%

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

$22.1K COP 69.6M

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

-9.70%

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

$34.8K COP 109.7M

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

8.43%

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

$117 COP 368.4K

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

40.02%

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

$11.88 COP 37.4K

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

83.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.04 COP 107.2K

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

79.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

-43.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 COP 21.0K

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

56.07%

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

$676 COP 2.1M

$487 Rp 8.6M

38.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,426 COP 20.2M

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

9.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 COP 279.7K

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

94.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 COP 177.0K

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

54.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 COP 418.8K

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

62.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 308.4K

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

21.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$708 COP 2.2M

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

-36.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 COP 1.4M

$701 Rp 12.5M

-36.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 COP 2.9M

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

-73.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$861 COP 2.7M

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

-51.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,137 COP 6.7M

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

-24.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,654 COP 5.2M

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

-27.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

13.78

-15.97%

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

Last update for Popayan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $708 in Popayan versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Popayan versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $293 – making Popayan 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,308 in Popayan, $1,396 in Ubud, Bali – roughly 7% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,962 per month in Popayan and $2,095 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Popayan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Popayan and $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Popayan, where all-in costs run around $1,308, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. In Popayan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,308 in Popayan to $1,396 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Popayan. 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.