Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Putian and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Putian: $518 a month against $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Putian
🇨🇳 China
$518
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,353
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Putian 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 Putian and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $518 in Putian versus $1,353 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Putian $518
  • Ubud, Bali $1,353

Estimated couple costs with rent: $854 in Putian versus $2,297 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Putian $854
  • Ubud, Bali $2,297

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,190 in Putian versus $3,241 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Putian $1,190
  • Ubud, Bali $3,241

Living in Putian costs roughly 62% less than in Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Putian is 62% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Putian
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.21 ¥14.79
$3.23 Rp 58.1K
-31.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.26 ¥156
$34.88 Rp 627.8K
-33.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.17 ¥34.57
$5.70 Rp 102.5K
-9.30%
Cappuccino
$2.44 ¥16.32
$2.62 Rp 47.1K
-6.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 ¥2.88
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
-75.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ¥1.92
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
-64.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.77 ¥5.16
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
-70.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 ¥19.58
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
-32.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Putian
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 ¥9.82
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
-6.37%
White Bread (500g)
$2.25 ¥15.07
$2.19 Rp 39.5K
2.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.93 ¥6.19
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
-21.19%
Eggs
$1.58 ¥10.58
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
-26.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.73 ¥78.4
$17.65 Rp 317.7K
-33.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.43 ¥16.22
$3.78 Rp 68.0K
-35.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.18 ¥81.4
$11.95 Rp 215.1K
1.92%
Apples (1kg)
$2.55 ¥17.03
$3.60 Rp 64.8K
-29.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 ¥9.49
$1.59 Rp 28.6K
-10.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 ¥11.34
$2.31 Rp 41.6K
-26.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 ¥13.25
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
3.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.02 ¥6.79
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
-42.70%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 ¥11.86
$2.33 Rp 41.9K
-24.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.93 ¥6.19
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
-7.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50 ¥3.36
$0.53 Rp 9,509
-5.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.04 ¥20.31
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
32.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.18 ¥74.8
$22.07 Rp 397.3K
-49.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 ¥5.58
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
-64.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 ¥11.44
$2.98 Rp 53.6K
-42.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Putian
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.74 ¥4.92
$0.23 Rp 4,112
221.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.38 ¥150
$8.90 Rp 160.2K
151.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.52 ¥10.16
$0.47 Rp 8,466
223.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 ¥1.94
$0.43 Rp 7,737
-32.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.02 ¥46.94
$5.47 Rp 98.4K
28.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ¥8.76
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
57.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.4K ¥129.8K
$23.9K Rp 429.8M
-18.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.8K ¥118.8K
$32.8K Rp 590.1M
-45.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Putian
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$44.03 ¥294
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
-44.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.87 ¥59.3
$6.56 Rp 118.1K
35.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.55 ¥70.6
$18.60 Rp 334.8K
-43.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Putian
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$54.1 Rp 974.1K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.28 Rp 329.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.08 ¥67.4
$4.25 Rp 76.5K
137.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Putian
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$492 ¥3,286
$493 Rp 8.9M
-0.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.5K ¥163.6K
$5,597 Rp 100.7M
337.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Putian
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.10 ¥261
$45.58 Rp 820.4K
-14.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.11 ¥195
$34.96 Rp 629.4K
-16.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 ¥691
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
32.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.7 ¥573
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
9.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Putian
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,131 Rp 20.4M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$673 Rp 12.1M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,613 Rp 65.0M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,702 Rp 30.6M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,637 ¥17.6K
$2,717 Rp 48.9M
-2.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,115 ¥7,452
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
-50.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Putian
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$480 ¥3,211
$166 Rp 3.0M
188.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.46
13.78
-74.89%

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

Last update for Putian: October 20, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Putian
$215
Ubud, Bali
$287 33.4% $72
Clothing & Footwear
Putian
$116
Ubud, Bali
$107 8% $9.2
Eating Out
Putian
$75
Ubud, Bali
$106 41.7% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Putian
$63
Ubud, Bali
$105 65.7% $42
Getting Around
Putian
$28
Ubud, Bali
$12 56.1% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Putian
$20 *
Ubud, Bali
$63 211% $42
Accommodation & Living
Putian
- *
Ubud, Bali
$673

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Putian pays 189% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Putian vs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $287 per month, with Putian cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Putian
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
10:27 10:27 AM
10:27 10:27 AM
Same time as Putian
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,954,000
74,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Putian Ubud, Bali 3,800 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Putian
  • 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
Putian vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ubud, Bali cheaper than Putian?
Putian is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Putian or Ubud, Bali?
Average pay runs 189% higher in Putian, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $492 in Putian versus $493 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Putian and in Ubud, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Putian or in Ubud, Bali?
At $518 in Putian versus $1,353 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.
Is Putian or Ubud, Bali more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Putian or Ubud, Bali?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Putian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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