Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Punakha and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Punakha: $133 a month against $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index

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Punakha

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$133

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,368

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Punakha and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Punakha and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $133 per month in Punakha vs $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Punakha $133
Ubud, Bali $1,368

A couple spends around $182 per month in Punakha vs $2,314 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Punakha $182
Ubud, Bali $2,314

A family of three spends $231 per month in Punakha vs $3,260 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Punakha $231
Ubud, Bali $3,260

Punakha is about 90% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Punakha sits 90% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 59.9K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.18 Rp 633.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 Rp 104.5K

Cappuccino

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

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

$1.64 Rp 29.5K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 Rp 48.6K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 77.4K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.4K

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

Eggs

$2.14 Rp 38.6K

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.48 Rp 314.6K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 72.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.23 Rp 220.1K

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 Rp 63.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.7K

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.9K

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 41.3K

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.9K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Rp 9,475

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.01 Rp 414.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 Rp 52.4K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,315

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.82 Rp 158.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,684

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,233

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 Rp 98.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 Rp 15.9K

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

$24.6K Rp 442.2M

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

$31.2K Rp 561.4M

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

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

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

$6.45 Rp 116.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.57 Rp 334.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.11 Rp 326.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 Rp 78.9K

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

$493 Rp 8.9M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,754 Rp 103.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.86 BTN 1,984

$46.19 Rp 831.4K

-54.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.24 BTN 973

$35.33 Rp 636.0K

-71.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.19 BTN 3,916

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

-47.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.46 BTN 3,466

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-53.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$95.1 BTN 9,042

$1,142 Rp 20.6M

-91.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.8 BTN 7,967

$676 Rp 12.2M

-87.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$134 BTN 12.8K

$3,503 Rp 63.1M

-96.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$122 BTN 11.6K

$1,700 Rp 30.6M

-92.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,137 BTN 298.2K

$2,784 Rp 50.1M

12.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,870 BTN 272.9K

$2,241 Rp 40.3M

28.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$242 BTN 23.0K

$165 Rp 3.0M

46.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Punakha: October 10, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Punakha

–

Ubud, Bali

$676 49.4%

Groceries & Markets

Punakha

–

Ubud, Bali

$290 21.2%

Eating Out

Punakha

–

Ubud, Bali

$109 8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Punakha

–

Ubud, Bali

$108 7.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Punakha

–

Ubud, Bali

$108 7.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Punakha

–

Ubud, Bali

$65 4.7%

Getting Around

Punakha

–

Ubud, Bali

$13 0.9%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $95.1 in Punakha versus $1,142 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.

Salaries run about 47% higher in Punakha, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know

🇧🇹 Punakha

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

18:34 6:34 PM

20:34 8:34 PM

2 h ahead of Punakha

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,500

74,800

💱 Currency

Bhutanese Ngultrum BTN Nu.

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 BTN = 10.52 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.36 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to BTN – Bhutanese Ngultrum Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇹 Bhutanese Ngultrum (Nu.)

Bhutanese Ngultrum exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 95.08 BTN (100 BTN = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 BTN (1,000 BTN = 9.36 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

USD to BTN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Punakha Ubud, Bali 4,860 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Punakha
Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Ubud, Bali costs about 930% more than Punakha, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $199 per month in Punakha and $2,051 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Punakha, where all-in costs run around $133, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In Punakha 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. Punakha costs $133 versus $1,368 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 Punakha. 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.