Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Salem: $350 a month against $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

17

Cost of Living Index in Salem
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Salem Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index

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Salem

🇮🇳 India

$350

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,368

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $350 per month in Salem vs $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Salem $350
Ubud, Bali $1,368

A couple spends around $555 per month in Salem vs $2,314 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Salem $555
Ubud, Bali $2,314

A family of three spends $760 per month in Salem vs $3,260 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Salem $760
Ubud, Bali $3,260

Salem is about 74% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Salem sits 74% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ₹202

$3.33 Rp 59.9K

-36.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.11 ₹675

$35.18 Rp 633.2K

-79.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.61 ₹343

$5.80 Rp 104.5K

-37.76%

Cappuccino

$1.25 ₹119

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

-54.21%

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

$0.44 ₹41.46

$1.64 Rp 29.5K

-73.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.53

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

-80.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ₹197

$2.70 Rp 48.6K

-23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 ₹448

$4.30 Rp 77.4K

9.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.58 ₹54.8

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

-61.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 ₹42.42

$2.30 Rp 41.4K

-80.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.37

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

-56.78%

Eggs

$0.68 ₹64.5

$2.14 Rp 38.6K

-68.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.13 ₹487

$17.48 Rp 314.6K

-70.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 ₹244

$4.03 Rp 72.5K

-36.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.23 Rp 220.1K

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ₹184

$3.55 Rp 63.9K

-45.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₹68.5

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-54.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₹126

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

-40.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 ₹34.98

$1.93 Rp 34.7K

-80.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 ₹38.99

$1.88 Rp 33.9K

-78.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₹40.03

$2.29 Rp 41.3K

-81.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.25 ₹23.78

$0.99 Rp 17.9K

-74.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.39

$0.53 Rp 9,475

-45.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.05 ₹480

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

121.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.03 ₹287

$23.01 Rp 414.2K

-86.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₹138

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

-38.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ₹208

$2.91 Rp 52.4K

-24.40%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$3.66 ₹348

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹18.99

$0.24 Rp 4,315

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.57 ₹909

$8.82 Rp 158.7K

8.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 ₹98.7

$0.48 Rp 8,684

116.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.14 ₹13.76

$0.46 Rp 8,233

-69.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ₹102

$5.45 Rp 98.2K

-80.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₹105

$0.88 Rp 15.9K

26.14%

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

$15.0K ₹1.4M

$24.6K Rp 442.2M

-38.79%

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

$18.9K ₹1.8M

$31.2K Rp 561.4M

-39.50%

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

$52.2 ₹4,960

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-37.07%

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

$2.82 ₹267

$6.45 Rp 116.0K

-56.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.75 ₹926

$18.57 Rp 334.2K

-47.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.66 ₹1,677

$55.8 Rp 1.0M

-68.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.56 ₹907

$18.11 Rp 326.0K

-47.21%

Cinema Ticket

$2.06 ₹195

$4.38 Rp 78.9K

-52.97%

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

$54.5 ₹5,173

$493 Rp 8.9M

-88.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,682 ₹159.7K

$5,754 Rp 103.6M

-70.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.12 ₹1,815

$46.19 Rp 831.4K

-58.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.31 ₹1,359

$35.33 Rp 636.0K

-59.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.83 ₹2,833

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

-62.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.41 ₹2,603

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-65.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 ₹9,734

$1,142 Rp 20.6M

-91.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$56.3 ₹5,346

$676 Rp 12.2M

-91.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 ₹24.4K

$3,503 Rp 63.1M

-92.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 ₹15.7K

$1,700 Rp 30.6M

-90.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,288 ₹122.3K

$2,784 Rp 50.1M

-53.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$427 ₹40.5K

$2,241 Rp 40.3M

-80.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$342 ₹32.5K

$165 Rp 3.0M

108.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.4

13.78

-24.53%

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

Last update for Salem: October 11, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Salem

$89 25.4%

Ubud, Bali

$290 21.2% 228% $202

Eating Out

Salem

$65 18.6%

Ubud, Bali

$109 8% 67.1% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Salem

$65 18.5%

Ubud, Bali

$108 7.9% 66.7% $43

Accommodation & Living

Salem

$56 16.1%

Ubud, Bali

$676 49.4% 1100% $619

Clothing & Footwear

Salem

$41 11.7%

Ubud, Bali

$108 7.9% 164% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Salem

$22 6.2%

Ubud, Bali

$65 4.7% 197% $43

Getting Around

Salem

$12 3.5%

Ubud, Bali

$13 0.9% 3.4% $0.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $103 in Salem versus $1,142 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 108% higher in Salem, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $7.00 in Salem versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $89.0 vs $290 – making Salem the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Salem

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

11:39 11:39 AM

14:09 2:09 PM

2 h 30 min ahead of Salem

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

831,038

74,800

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

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

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Salem Ubud, Bali 4,680 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Salem
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $350 in Salem, $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – roughly 291% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $524 per month in Salem and $2,051 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $350 in Salem and $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. That's a gap of about 291%.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Salem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Salem, where all-in costs run around $350, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In Salem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $350 in Salem to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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