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: $600 in Sibolga versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $943 in Sibolga versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,285 in Sibolga versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Sibolga costs roughly 57% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sibolga is 55% below, Ubud, Bali is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

-57.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.25 Rp 219.4K

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

-62.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.34 Rp 59.8K

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

-31.28%

Cappuccino

$1.70 Rp 30.5K

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

-38.18%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,781

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-58.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,610

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-62.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 Rp 54.0K

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

3.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 Rp 46.5K

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

-31.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

-31.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 Rp 20.0K

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

-54.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 Rp 16.5K

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

-23.33%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

-35.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 Rp 142.2K

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

-44.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.5K

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

-46.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.04 Rp 162.0K

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

-25.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

-37.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

-6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 33.3K

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

-36.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

-63.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-33.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 Rp 16.3K

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-14.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 Rp 5,840

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

-54.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

-45.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.67 Rp 334.5K

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-18.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 Rp 40.7K

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-19.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-19.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 Rp 8,016

$0.29 Rp 5,217

55.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.91 Rp 177.6K

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

22.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

$0.45 Rp 8,047

26.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,764

$0.45 Rp 8,094

-15.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

-54.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

20.00%

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

$24.5K Rp 439.2M

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

-5.63%

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

$27.6K Rp 495.0M

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

-12.72%

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

$26.42 Rp 473.3K

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

-67.28%

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

$4.27 Rp 76.4K

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

5.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.51 Rp 403.2K

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

-7.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.14 Rp 414.5K

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

-76.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.33 Rp 113.5K

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

-1.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.14 Rp 56.2K

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

-22.28%

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

$24.08 Rp 431.5K

$304 Rp 5.4M

-92.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,714 Rp 138.2M

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

16.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.47 Rp 277.2K

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

-71.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.47 Rp 330.9K

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

-52.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

-23.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.9 Rp 1.3M

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

-3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 Rp 4.7M

$986 Rp 17.7M

-73.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$658 Rp 11.8M

-76.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 Rp 10.6M

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

-82.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 Rp 6.0M

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

-83.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,315 Rp 23.6M

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

-52.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$764 Rp 13.7M

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

-65.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Sibolga and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Sibolga vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $297 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 134% in total monthly costs ($600 vs $1,404 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $901 in Sibolga and $2,106 in Ubud, Bali to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $261 in Sibolga versus $986 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 $600 per month in Sibolga versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali – a 134% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $600 in Sibolga versus $1,404 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 134% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.