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: $3,473 in Salem, MA versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,781 in Salem, MA versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,090 in Salem, MA versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Salem, MA is roughly 141% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Salem, MA 159% above, Ubud, Bali 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.10 $25.10

$3.57 Rp 61.4K

603.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$32.58 Rp 560.9K

201.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 $11.04

$5.07 Rp 87.2K

117.75%

Cappuccino

$5.10 $5.10

$2.83 Rp 48.6K

80.21%

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

$2.44 $2.44

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

82.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.69 Rp 11.9K

208.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$2.99 Rp 51.5K

171.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$3.85 Rp 66.2K

81.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.74 Rp 30.0K

-29.89%

White Bread (500g)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.54 Rp 43.7K

72.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.72 $8.72

$1.19 Rp 20.5K

632.77%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$2.43 Rp 41.8K

81.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.19 $14.19

$14.66 Rp 252.4K

-3.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.25 $14.25

$4.18 Rp 71.9K

240.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 $8.70

$11.94 Rp 205.5K

-27.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$3.69 Rp 63.5K

22.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.61 Rp 27.6K

-17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.69 Rp 46.2K

24.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

105.58%

Potato (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$1.91 Rp 32.8K

124.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.19 Rp 37.6K

8.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.06 Rp 18.2K

139.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$0.72 Rp 12.4K

376.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.53 $9.53

$3.13 Rp 53.9K

204.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.89 $12.89

$23.49 Rp 404.4K

-45.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.74 Rp 47.1K

-35.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 $6.90

$2.88 Rp 49.6K

139.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 $2.45

$0.29 Rp 4,996

744.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.6 $54.6

$8.17 Rp 140.6K

568.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$0.45 Rp 7,811

675.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.42 Rp 7,256

276.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.22 $29.22

$6.16 Rp 106.0K

374.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

27.38%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$26.2K Rp 451.8M

13.65%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$32.5K Rp 559.1M

-20.01%

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

$169 $169

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

115.70%

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

$91.3 $91.3

$3.95 Rp 68.0K

2211.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.3 $82.3

$24.40 Rp 420.1K

237.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.44 $42.44

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-56.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 109.2K

Cinema Ticket

$14.89 $14.89

$4.04 Rp 69.5K

268.56%

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

$1,299 $1,299

$303 Rp 5.2M

329.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$6,523 Rp 112.3M

264.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 $71.4

$53.8 Rp 926.8K

32.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 $58.4

$37.98 Rp 653.9K

53.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 $97.9

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

12.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 $98.6

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

25.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,360 $2,360

$1,012 Rp 17.4M

133.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,944 $1,944

$674 Rp 11.6M

188.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,832 $3,832

$3,390 Rp 58.4M

13.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,855 $2,855

$2,098 Rp 36.1M

36.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 $2,731

$2,985 Rp 51.4M

-8.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,387 $2,387

$2,339 Rp 40.3M

2.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,570 $9,570

$173 Rp 3.0M

5427.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

13.28

-50.98%

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

Last update for Salem, MA: April 28, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,360 in Salem, MA and $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salem, MA pays 5428% 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: $98 in Salem, MA vs $33 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 vs $298 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 141% 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.

Salem, MA pays 5428% 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: $2,360 in Salem, MA versus $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,299 in Salem, MA versus $303 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Salem, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,473 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 $1,438 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 141% less than in Salem, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.