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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,774 per month in Reading vs $1,395 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,069 per month in Reading vs $2,559 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,364 per month in Reading vs $3,724 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Reading costs about 99% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Reading and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Reading by 106%, Ubud, Bali by 4%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.78 £19.85

$3.48 Rp 59.7K

669.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.9 £70.3

$32.88 Rp 564.0K

188.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.99 £7.41

$5.09 Rp 87.3K

96.27%

Cappuccino

$4.94 £3.66

$2.75 Rp 47.1K

79.64%

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

$3.48 £2.58

$1.38 Rp 23.7K

152.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 £2.09

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

297.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 £5.86

$2.88 Rp 49.4K

174.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 £5.11

$3.87 Rp 66.4K

78.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 £1.00

$1.79 Rp 30.7K

-24.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 £1.00

$2.45 Rp 42.0K

-44.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 £1.99

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

122.31%

Eggs

$3.70 £2.74

$2.39 Rp 40.9K

54.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 £7.55

$14.70 Rp 252.1K

-30.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 £5.92

$4.24 Rp 72.7K

88.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 £9.69

$12.08 Rp 207.1K

8.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 £2.28

$3.66 Rp 62.9K

-16.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 £1.11

$1.61 Rp 27.6K

-7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 £2.17

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

7.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 £2.44

$2.27 Rp 39.0K

44.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 £1.06

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

-24.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 £1.03

$2.30 Rp 39.4K

-39.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 £0.68

$1.02 Rp 17.4K

-9.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 £1.16

$0.78 Rp 13.4K

101.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.62 £15.28

$3.24 Rp 55.7K

536.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.67 £10.13

$24.06 Rp 412.7K

-43.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 £1.75

$2.84 Rp 48.7K

-16.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 £2.49

$2.79 Rp 47.8K

20.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 £2.08

$0.27 Rp 4,610

937.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.6 £63.4

$8.24 Rp 141.4K

938.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 £4.62

$0.45 Rp 7,708

1286.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 £1.30

$0.43 Rp 7,305

306.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.81 £10.98

$6.02 Rp 103.3K

146.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 £1.43

$0.86 Rp 14.7K

124.42%

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

$39.0K £28.9K

$26.1K Rp 447.1M

49.62%

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

$41.9K £31.0K

$31.7K Rp 543.7M

32.03%

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

$226 £168

$78.3 Rp 1.3M

188.81%

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

$19.02 £14.09

$4.00 Rp 68.5K

375.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.84 £33.23

$24.35 Rp 417.7K

84.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.19 £35.71

$95.8 Rp 1.6M

-49.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.25 £14.27

$6.46 Rp 110.7K

197.99%

Cinema Ticket

$13.80 £10.22

$4.01 Rp 68.7K

244.14%

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

$1,907 £1,413

$302 Rp 5.2M

532.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.4K £18.8K

$6,545 Rp 112.3M

288.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.2 £61.6

$53.4 Rp 916.3K

55.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.83 £36.19

$38.55 Rp 661.2K

26.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 £83.3

$89.1 Rp 1.5M

26.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 £73.2

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

25.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 £1,346

$1,016 Rp 17.4M

78.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 £1,038

$672 Rp 11.5M

108.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,973 £2,203

$3,368 Rp 57.8M

-11.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,354 £1,744

$2,108 Rp 36.2M

11.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,224 £5,353

$3,001 Rp 51.5M

140.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,804 £4,301

$2,337 Rp 40.1M

148.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,538 £2,622

$178 Rp 3.0M

1893.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.53

13.28

-58.36%

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

Last update for Reading: April 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,816 in Reading versus $1,016 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 1893% higher in Reading, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95 in Reading versus $33 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $290 in Reading vs $300 in Ubud, Bali – so Reading wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Yes – Reading is pricier by about 99%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,162 per month in Reading and $2,092 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Reading – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Reading and $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,395, than in Reading at $2,774. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Reading it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Reading makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.