🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,123 in Side versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,826 in Side versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,529 in Side versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.
🌍Living in Side costs roughly 18% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Side is 19% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Side
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.47₺460
$3.33Rp 58.7K
184.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.2₺3,263
$35.82Rp 630.7K
87.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.08₺490
$5.63Rp 99.1K
79.04%
Cappuccino
$3.38₺164
$2.82Rp 49.7K
19.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13₺103
$1.75Rp 30.8K
21.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38₺18.56
$0.80Rp 14.0K
-52.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.74₺181
$3.04Rp 53.6K
23.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.95₺289
$4.30Rp 75.7K
38.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Side
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.05₺51.0
$1.61Rp 28.3K
-34.78%
White Bread(500g)
$0.95₺46.19
$2.27Rp 39.9K
-58.15%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.30₺112
$1.17Rp 20.6K
96.58%
Eggs
$2.03₺98.7
$2.17Rp 38.2K
-6.45%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.56₺610
$17.63Rp 310.5K
-28.76%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.71₺277
$4.05Rp 71.4K
40.99%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$26.07₺1,266
$12.18Rp 214.5K
114.04%
Apples(1kg)
$1.42₺68.9
$3.62Rp 63.7K
-60.77%
Banana(1kg)
$2.31₺112
$1.64Rp 28.8K
40.85%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.36₺66.1
$2.31Rp 40.6K
-41.13%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.38₺66.9
$1.96Rp 34.5K
-29.59%
Potato(1kg)
$0.77₺37.56
$1.84Rp 32.5K
-58.15%
Onion(1kg)
$0.66₺32.07
$2.37Rp 41.7K
-72.15%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.83₺88.8
$1.05Rp 18.5K
74.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68₺33.20
$0.54Rp 9,560
25.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.61₺127
$2.30Rp 40.6K
13.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.28₺645
$23.08Rp 406.4K
-42.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71₺83.1
$2.34Rp 41.2K
-26.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08₺150
$3.07Rp 54.0K
0.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Side
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.72₺35.19
$0.25Rp 4,365
188.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$32.89₺1,597
$9.42Rp 165.9K
249.15%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.38₺66.8
$0.49Rp 8,631
181.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.01₺48.94
$0.47Rp 8,349
114.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.75₺279
$5.60Rp 98.6K
2.68%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.42₺69.0
$0.81Rp 14.2K
75.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.5K₺2.1M
$25.0KRp 440.3M
69.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.8K₺1.9M
$31.1KRp 547.0M
28.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Side
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$66.3₺3,218
$82.7Rp 1.5M
-19.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.03₺487
$6.49Rp 114.2K
54.55%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.50₺1,044
$18.79Rp 330.8K
14.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Side
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$50.0₺2,428
$55.2Rp 972.6K
-9.49%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.21Rp 320.6K
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.75₺425
$4.30Rp 75.7K
103.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Side
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$611₺29.7K
$494Rp 8.7M
23.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.6K₺515.1K
$5,917Rp 104.2M
79.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Side
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.65₺2,217
$46.28Rp 814.8K
-1.36%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.8₺2,998
$36.44Rp 641.6K
69.46%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.7₺4,259
$80.7Rp 1.4M
8.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6₺3,866
$78.8Rp 1.4M
1.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Side
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$435₺21.1K
$1,114Rp 19.6M
-60.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309₺15.0K
$693Rp 12.2M
-55.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$766₺37.2K
$3,639Rp 64.1M
-78.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$588₺28.6K
$1,712Rp 30.1M
-65.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,489₺72.3K
$2,761Rp 48.6M
-46.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,115₺54.1K
$2,293Rp 40.4M
-51.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Side
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$167Rp 2.9M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
39.17
13.78
184.25%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Side: September 7, 2026
Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Side and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $67.0 in Side vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $294, with Side cheaper for home cooking.
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
Side vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ubud, Bali cheaper than Side?
Side is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,685 in Side and $2,067 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.
What is the rent difference between Side and Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $435 in Side versus $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Side and in Ubud, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Side or in Ubud, Bali?
Dining out is cheaper in Side – a meal for two runs $67.0 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Side or in Ubud, Bali?
At $1,123 in Side versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Side but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Side the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Side or Ubud, Bali more family-friendly?
For families, Side is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Side or Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Side 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Side gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.