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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,021 in Potchefstroom versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,505 in Potchefstroom versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,990 in Potchefstroom versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Potchefstroom costs roughly 26% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Potchefstroom is 26% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.01 R 113

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

110.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.82 R 496

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

-13.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.70 R 91.8

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

1.24%

Cappuccino

$2.25 R 36.23

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

-20.21%

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

$1.09 R 17.48

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-37.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R 13.36

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 R 39.86

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

-18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 R 46.14

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

-33.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.34

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

-25.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 R 18.12

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-50.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 R 30.74

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

63.25%

Eggs

$2.45 R 39.38

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

12.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 R 130

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-54.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 R 76.3

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

17.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 R 120

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

-38.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.43

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-56.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.58

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

-3.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 R 28.69

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

-22.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 R 19.60

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

-37.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R 19.53

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

-34.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R 17.85

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-53.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 R 20.49

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

20.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R 17.72

$0.54 Rp 9,560

103.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 R 53.3

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

43.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.34 R 69.9

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-81.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R 17.82

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-52.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R 33.07

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

-33.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 R 18.66

$0.25 Rp 4,365

364.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 R 5.23

$0.49 Rp 8,631

-34.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R 12.43

$0.47 Rp 8,349

63.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.15 R 244

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

170.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 R 24.89

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

91.36%

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

$37.2K R 598.8K

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

48.67%

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

$35.5K R 572.5K

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

14.43%

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

$156 R 2,514

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

88.72%

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

$31.53 R 508

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

385.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.16 R 615

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

103.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.78 R 496

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

-44.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$7.56 R 122

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

75.81%

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

$129 R 2,074

$494 Rp 8.7M

-73.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,658 R 91.1K

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

-4.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.06 R 452

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

-39.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.23 R 358

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

-39.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 R 1,424

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

9.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 R 1,172

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

-7.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 R 4,613

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-74.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 R 5,442

$693 Rp 12.2M

-51.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 R 7,682

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-86.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 R 9,545

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-65.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$877 R 14.1K

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

-68.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$745 R 12.0K

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

-67.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$941 R 15.2K

$167 Rp 2.9M

463.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

13.78

-17.71%

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

Last update for Potchefstroom: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $286 in Potchefstroom and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Potchefstroom pays 463% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Potchefstroom vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $294 per month, with Potchefstroom 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

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

Potchefstroom is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 463% higher in Potchefstroom, 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: $286 in Potchefstroom versus $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,021 per month in Potchefstroom versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,021 in Potchefstroom versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Potchefstroom but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Potchefstroom the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Potchefstroom 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, Potchefstroom 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 Potchefstroom gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.