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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $727 in Putian versus $1,395 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,149 in Putian versus $2,559 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,570 in Putian versus $3,724 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Putian costs roughly 48% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Putian is 46% below, Ubud, Bali is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ¥14.57

$3.48 Rp 59.7K

-38.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.12 ¥158

$32.88 Rp 563.4K

-29.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 ¥38.55

$5.09 Rp 87.2K

10.81%

Cappuccino

$2.71 ¥18.52

$2.75 Rp 47.1K

-1.45%

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

$0.40 ¥2.75

$1.38 Rp 23.7K

-71.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

-59.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 ¥4.94

$2.88 Rp 49.3K

-75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ¥19.51

$3.87 Rp 66.3K

-26.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ¥12.62

$1.79 Rp 30.7K

3.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 ¥14.60

$2.45 Rp 41.9K

-12.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ¥5.32

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

-35.54%

Eggs

$1.32 ¥9.03

$2.39 Rp 40.9K

-44.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 ¥77.5

$14.70 Rp 251.9K

-22.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.34 ¥15.97

$4.24 Rp 72.7K

-44.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 ¥76.5

$12.08 Rp 206.9K

-7.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ¥16.39

$3.66 Rp 62.8K

-34.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 ¥9.08

$1.61 Rp 27.5K

-17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 ¥10.32

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

-44.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.74

$2.27 Rp 38.9K

-17.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.57

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

-49.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.56

$2.30 Rp 39.4K

-26.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 ¥5.61

$1.02 Rp 17.4K

-19.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.76

$0.78 Rp 13.3K

-29.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 ¥18.74

$3.24 Rp 55.6K

-15.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.93 ¥74.7

$24.06 Rp 412.3K

-54.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥5.18

$2.84 Rp 48.7K

-73.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ¥10.95

$2.79 Rp 47.8K

-42.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥2.00

$0.27 Rp 4,606

7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.83 ¥115

$8.24 Rp 141.2K

104.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.32

$0.45 Rp 7,700

202.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.92

$0.43 Rp 7,298

-34.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ¥46.38

$6.02 Rp 103.2K

12.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.72

$0.86 Rp 14.7K

31.40%

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

$16.2K ¥110.7K

$26.1K Rp 446.6M

-37.82%

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

$17.8K ¥121.5K

$31.7K Rp 543.2M

-43.90%

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

$39.24 ¥268

$78.3 Rp 1.3M

-49.91%

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

$9.89 ¥67.6

$4.00 Rp 68.5K

147.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.92 ¥81.4

$24.35 Rp 417.3K

-51.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.48 ¥290

$95.8 Rp 1.6M

-55.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.75 ¥93.9

$6.46 Rp 110.6K

112.85%

Cinema Ticket

$9.21 ¥62.9

$4.01 Rp 68.7K

129.68%

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

$463 ¥3,161

$302 Rp 5.2M

53.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ¥115.4K

$6,545 Rp 112.2M

158.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.01 ¥294

$53.4 Rp 915.5K

-19.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.71 ¥182

$38.55 Rp 660.6K

-30.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 ¥573

$89.1 Rp 1.5M

-5.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 ¥538

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 ¥1,938

$1,016 Rp 17.4M

-72.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 ¥1,277

$672 Rp 11.5M

-72.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$600 ¥4,095

$3,368 Rp 57.7M

-82.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ¥2,434

$2,108 Rp 36.1M

-83.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,554 ¥17.4K

$3,001 Rp 51.4M

-14.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,003 ¥13.7K

$2,337 Rp 40.0M

-14.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$452 ¥3,090

$178 Rp 3.0M

154.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.56

13.28

-73.19%

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

Last update for Putian: April 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Putian and $1,016 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Putian pays 155% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23 in Putian vs $33 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $300 per month, with Putian 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

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

Putian is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Putian pays 155% 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: $284 in Putian versus $1,016 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $463 in Putian versus $302 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $727 in Putian versus $1,395 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Putian but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Putian the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Putian 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, Putian 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 Putian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.