Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Reading and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,349 a month against $2,763 in Reading, rent and utilities included – about $17,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Reading, United Kingdom
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Reading
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,763
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,349
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,763 per month in Reading vs $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Reading $2,763
  • Ubud, Bali $1,349

A couple spends around $4,013 per month in Reading vs $2,305 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Reading $4,013
  • Ubud, Bali $2,305

A family of three spends $5,264 per month in Reading vs $3,261 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Reading $5,264
  • Ubud, Bali $3,261

Reading costs about 105% more than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Reading
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$27.16 £20.29
$3.32 Rp 60.3K
718.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$92.3 £68.9
$35.64 Rp 646.5K
158.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.43 £7.79
$5.53 Rp 100.4K
88.61%
Cappuccino
$4.98 £3.72
$2.72 Rp 49.3K
83.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 £2.16
$1.70 Rp 30.9K
70.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 £2.08
$0.76 Rp 13.8K
265.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.66 £6.47
$2.65 Rp 48.1K
226.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.48 £4.84
$4.38 Rp 79.5K
47.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Reading
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 £1.11
$1.49 Rp 27.0K
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.75 £1.31
$2.28 Rp 41.3K
-23.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.93 £2.19
$1.19 Rp 21.6K
146.22%
Eggs
$3.73 £2.78
$2.04 Rp 36.9K
82.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.34 £8.47
$17.70 Rp 321.1K
-35.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.52 £6.37
$3.96 Rp 71.9K
115.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.90 £9.64
$12.19 Rp 221.1K
5.82%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 £2.23
$3.66 Rp 66.3K
-18.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.47 £1.10
$1.52 Rp 27.5K
-3.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.91 £2.17
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
30.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.21 £2.40
$1.97 Rp 35.8K
62.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.55 £1.16
$1.85 Rp 33.5K
-16.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.40 £1.05
$2.42 Rp 44.0K
-42.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.92 £0.69
$0.99 Rp 18.0K
-7.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 £1.12
$0.51 Rp 9,313
194.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$24.01 £17.93
$2.22 Rp 40.3K
981.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.89 £10.38
$22.24 Rp 403.4K
-37.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.32 £1.74
$2.26 Rp 41.0K
2.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 £2.30
$2.97 Rp 53.9K
3.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Reading
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.91 £2.92
$0.25 Rp 4,553
1464.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$83.8 £62.6
$7.82 Rp 141.9K
972.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.55 £4.89
$0.44 Rp 7,972
1388.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.58 £3.42
$0.43 Rp 7,801
965.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.37 £9.99
$5.41 Rp 98.1K
147.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.00 £1.49
$0.82 Rp 15.0K
143.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.3K £29.3K
$23.8K Rp 432.4M
64.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.6K £30.3K
$31.7K Rp 575.9M
27.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Reading
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$282 £211
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
257.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.55 £15.35
$6.45 Rp 116.9K
218.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$46.40 £34.66
$18.58 Rp 337.0K
149.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Reading
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.80 £33.47
$49.48 Rp 897.5K
-9.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.12 £15.78
$17.65 Rp 320.1K
19.66%
Cinema Ticket
$13.18 £9.84
$4.27 Rp 77.5K
208.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Reading
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,905 £1,423
$491 Rp 8.9M
288.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$29.2K £21.8K
$5,674 Rp 102.9M
415.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Reading
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.5 £55.7
$44.64 Rp 809.7K
66.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$67.7 £50.6
$34.95 Rp 634.0K
93.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 £85.6
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
43.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 £81.1
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
36.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Reading
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,739 £1,299
$1,125 Rp 20.4M
54.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,361 £1,017
$671 Rp 12.2M
102.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,904 £2,170
$3,565 Rp 64.7M
-18.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,165 £1,617
$1,723 Rp 31.3M
25.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,218 £5,392
$2,732 Rp 49.5M
164.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,527 £4,129
$2,284 Rp 41.4M
141.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Reading
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,446 £2,575
$164 Rp 3.0M
2003.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
13.78
-63.72%

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

Last update for Reading: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Reading
$1.4K
Ubud, Bali
$672 50.7% $690
Eating Out
Reading
$387
Ubud, Bali
$108 72.2% $280
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Reading
$349
Ubud, Bali
$104 70.2% $245
Groceries & Markets
Reading
$300
Ubud, Bali
$288 4% $12
Clothing & Footwear
Reading
$164
Ubud, Bali
$108 34.6% $57
Getting Around
Reading
$129
Ubud, Bali
$11 91.1% $118
Sport & Entertainment
Reading
$71
Ubud, Bali
$58 18.5% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,739 in Reading versus $1,125 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 in Reading are about 21 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92 in Reading versus $36 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $288 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Reading
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
11:40 11:40 AM
19:40 7:40 PM
8 h ahead of Reading
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
162,666
74,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.747 GBP (1 GBP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18,138 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,241 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Reading Ubud, Bali 12,550 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Reading
  • 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
Reading vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ubud, Bali cheaper than Reading?
Yes – Reading is pricier by about 105%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,144 per month in Reading and $2,023 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,125 there versus $1,739 in Reading.
How do food prices compare in Reading and in Ubud, Bali?
Groceries cost about 4% more in Reading, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Reading or in Ubud, Bali?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $92 in Reading and $36 in Ubud, Bali. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Reading or in Ubud, Bali?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,763 in Reading and $1,349 in Ubud, Bali. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city suits remote workers better?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,349 versus $2,763 in Reading. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Which city is safer, Reading or Ubud, Bali?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Reading makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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