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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $616 in Sibolga versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $952 in Sibolga versus $2,582 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,288 in Sibolga versus $3,757 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Sibolga costs roughly 56% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sibolga is 54% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.51 Rp 25.9K

$3.42 Rp 58.5K

-55.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.24 Rp 209.6K

$32.96 Rp 564.6K

-62.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.40 Rp 58.3K

$5.08 Rp 87.0K

-33.07%

Cappuccino

$1.74 Rp 29.7K

$2.82 Rp 48.4K

-38.30%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,427

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

-59.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 4,809

$0.71 Rp 12.1K

-60.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 Rp 52.3K

$2.97 Rp 50.8K

3.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 Rp 45.5K

$3.91 Rp 67.0K

-31.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 20.8K

$1.75 Rp 29.9K

-30.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 20.0K

$2.52 Rp 43.1K

-53.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 14.9K

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

-28.10%

Eggs

$1.54 Rp 26.5K

$2.33 Rp 40.0K

-33.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 Rp 141.6K

$14.50 Rp 248.3K

-42.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 38.5K

$4.36 Rp 74.6K

-48.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.16 Rp 156.9K

$12.05 Rp 206.3K

-23.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 40.7K

$3.82 Rp 65.4K

-37.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 24.9K

$1.61 Rp 27.6K

-9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 31.0K

$2.70 Rp 46.3K

-32.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 26.9K

$2.23 Rp 38.2K

-29.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 Rp 12.1K

$1.90 Rp 32.5K

-63.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 27.4K

$2.18 Rp 37.4K

-26.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 16.2K

$1.03 Rp 17.6K

-7.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 Rp 6,080

$0.77 Rp 13.2K

-53.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 Rp 30.5K

$3.18 Rp 54.5K

-44.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.99 Rp 342.3K

$23.23 Rp 397.8K

-13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 Rp 39.1K

$2.85 Rp 48.8K

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 38.7K

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

-16.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 Rp 7,192

$0.29 Rp 5,005

44.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.56 Rp 163.8K

$8.43 Rp 144.3K

13.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 9,800

$0.49 Rp 8,316

16.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 5,935

$0.45 Rp 7,785

-22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 50.6K

$6.28 Rp 107.5K

-53.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 Rp 17.6K

$0.85 Rp 14.5K

21.18%

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

$24.2K Rp 414.5M

$26.1K Rp 446.3M

-7.13%

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

$27.9K Rp 477.4M

$31.5K Rp 540.0M

-11.59%

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

$26.84 Rp 459.6K

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

-66.35%

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

$4.23 Rp 72.5K

$4.09 Rp 70.0K

3.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.97 Rp 393.5K

$24.06 Rp 412.2K

-4.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.36 Rp 400.1K

$96.2 Rp 1.6M

-75.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 Rp 103.1K

$6.53 Rp 111.8K

-7.81%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 Rp 52.2K

$4.13 Rp 70.8K

-26.15%

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

$24.23 Rp 415.0K

$297 Rp 5.1M

-91.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,734 Rp 132.5M

$6,661 Rp 114.1M

16.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.29 Rp 261.8K

$55.0 Rp 941.3K

-72.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.08 Rp 309.6K

$38.75 Rp 663.7K

-53.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 Rp 1.1M

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

-26.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.2 Rp 1.3M

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-5.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 Rp 4.5M

$1,018 Rp 17.4M

-74.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 Rp 2.7M

$660 Rp 11.3M

-75.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 Rp 9.9M

$3,435 Rp 58.8M

-83.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 Rp 5.7M

$2,053 Rp 35.2M

-83.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,229 Rp 21.1M

$2,981 Rp 51.1M

-58.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$767 Rp 13.1M

$2,368 Rp 40.6M

-67.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 2.9M

$172 Rp 2.9M

-2.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

13.28

-31.10%

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

Last update for Sibolga: April 21, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $263 in Sibolga and $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 3% 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: $12 in Sibolga vs $33 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $299 per month, with Sibolga 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

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

Sibolga and Ubud, Bali differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($616 vs $1,408 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ubud, Bali earns 3% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $263 in Sibolga versus $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sibolga – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $616 per month in Sibolga versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $616 in Sibolga versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sibolga but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sibolga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Sibolga 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 Sibolga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.