Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem, MA and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem, MA and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,388 in Salem, MA versus $1,379 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,705 in Salem, MA versus $2,363 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,022 in Salem, MA versus $3,347 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Salem, MA is roughly 146% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Salem, MA 147% above, Ubud, Bali 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.25 $25.25

$3.31 Rp 59.1K

662.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$39.08 Rp 697.6K

156.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 $11.07

$5.62 Rp 100.3K

96.98%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$2.64 Rp 47.1K

91.29%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

59.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

197.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.11 $8.11

$2.73 Rp 48.7K

197.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$4.32 Rp 77.2K

61.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.54 Rp 27.5K

-16.23%

White Bread (500g)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.30 Rp 41.0K

96.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

319.42%

Eggs

$4.21 $4.21

$2.12 Rp 37.8K

98.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$17.30 Rp 308.8K

-18.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.60 $11.60

$4.03 Rp 71.9K

187.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 $16.77

$12.42 Rp 221.8K

35.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.70 Rp 66.0K

24.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.62 Rp 28.8K

-20.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.27 Rp 40.4K

96.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$1.99 Rp 35.5K

139.70%

Potato (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

140.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.25 Rp 40.2K

30.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.04 Rp 18.7K

135.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

296.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.16 $10.16

$2.22 Rp 39.7K

357.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 $13.18

$23.22 Rp 414.5K

-43.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.39 Rp 42.7K

-16.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.87 Rp 51.3K

22.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.25 Rp 4,435

692.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.0 $56.0

$7.17 Rp 128.0K

680.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.46 Rp 8,198

547.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.46 Rp 8,271

286.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.21 $28.21

$5.70 Rp 101.7K

394.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

15.79%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$24.6K Rp 438.6M

46.73%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$31.0K Rp 553.9M

-16.28%

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

$203 $203

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

147.30%

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

$59.1 $59.1

$6.33 Rp 113.0K

834.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 $66.0

$18.54 Rp 331.0K

255.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.78 $42.78

$56.1 Rp 1.0M

-23.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 328.7K

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 $14.86

$4.26 Rp 76.1K

248.83%

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

$1,433 $1,433

$489 Rp 8.7M

192.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$5,793 Rp 103.4M

299.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 $71.0

$45.98 Rp 820.8K

54.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 $57.4

$35.86 Rp 640.1K

59.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 $95.7

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

20.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.1 $98.1

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

21.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,341 $2,341

$1,144 Rp 20.4M

104.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,955 $1,955

$692 Rp 12.4M

182.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,603 $3,603

$3,532 Rp 63.0M

2.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$1,709 Rp 30.5M

66.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,715 $2,715

$2,785 Rp 49.7M

-2.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,396 $2,396

$2,261 Rp 40.4M

5.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,399 $9,399

$169 Rp 3.0M

5451.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

13.78

-55.59%

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

Last update for Salem, MA: August 18, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,341 in Salem, MA and $1,144 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salem, MA pays 5452% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $100 in Salem, MA vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $293 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 146% lower than in Salem, MA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 5452% higher in Salem, MA, 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: $2,341 in Salem, MA versus $1,144 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,433 in Salem, MA versus $489 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Salem, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,388 in Salem, MA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Salem, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,379 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Salem, MA 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 146% less than in Salem, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.