Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Skien and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,368 a month against $2,336 in Skien, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Skien
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,336
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,368
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,336 per month in Skien vs $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Skien $2,336
  • Ubud, Bali $1,368

A couple spends around $3,267 per month in Skien vs $2,314 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Skien $3,267
  • Ubud, Bali $2,314

A family of three spends $4,197 per month in Skien vs $3,260 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Skien $4,197
  • Ubud, Bali $3,260

Skien costs about 71% more than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Skien and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Skien by 73%, Ubud, Bali by 1%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Skien
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.21 NOK 200
$3.33 Rp 59.9K
536.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$103 NOK 971
$35.18 Rp 633.2K
193.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.47 NOK 146
$5.80 Rp 104.5K
166.72%
Cappuccino
$5.11 NOK 48.11
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
87.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36 NOK 41.01
$1.64 Rp 29.5K
165.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 NOK 27.96
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
257.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.89 NOK 112
$2.70 Rp 48.6K
340.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$12.33 NOK 116
$4.30 Rp 77.4K
186.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Skien
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.11 NOK 19.84
$1.50 Rp 27.1K
40.67%
White Bread (500g)
$3.92 NOK 36.90
$2.30 Rp 41.4K
70.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.57 NOK 42.98
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
287.29%
Eggs
$5.66 NOK 53.3
$2.14 Rp 38.6K
164.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.16 NOK 124
$17.48 Rp 314.6K
-24.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.17 NOK 143
$4.03 Rp 72.5K
276.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.79 NOK 205
$12.23 Rp 220.1K
78.17%
Apples (1kg)
$3.35 NOK 31.49
$3.55 Rp 63.9K
-5.63%
Banana (1kg)
$2.70 NOK 25.42
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
71.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.49 NOK 32.86
$2.24 Rp 40.2K
55.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.95 NOK 56.0
$1.93 Rp 34.7K
208.29%
Potato (1kg)
$2.24 NOK 21.04
$1.88 Rp 33.9K
19.15%
Onion (1kg)
$2.78 NOK 26.12
$2.29 Rp 41.3K
21.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.04 NOK 28.63
$0.99 Rp 17.9K
207.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.48 NOK 23.33
$0.53 Rp 9,475
367.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.02 NOK 179
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
734.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.76 NOK 148
$23.01 Rp 414.2K
-31.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.35 NOK 31.58
$2.34 Rp 42.2K
43.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.33 NOK 40.76
$2.91 Rp 52.4K
48.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Skien
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.26 NOK 30.64
$0.24 Rp 4,315
1258.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$47.91 NOK 451
$8.82 Rp 158.7K
443.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$11.13 NOK 105
$0.48 Rp 8,684
2218.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.81 NOK 17.02
$0.46 Rp 8,233
293.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$70.8 NOK 667
$5.45 Rp 98.2K
1199.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.27 NOK 21.39
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
157.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$47.5K NOK 447.3K
$24.6K Rp 442.2M
93.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.4K NOK 408.1K
$31.2K Rp 561.4M
39.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Skien
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.9 NOK 884
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
13.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.89 NOK 319
$6.45 Rp 116.0K
425.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 NOK 504
$18.57 Rp 334.2K
188.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Skien
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.10 NOK 406
$55.8 Rp 1.0M
-22.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.11 Rp 326.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.29 NOK 144
$4.38 Rp 78.9K
249.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Skien
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$239 NOK 2,247
$493 Rp 8.9M
-51.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K NOK 148.1K
$5,754 Rp 103.6M
173.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Skien
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.7 NOK 600
$46.19 Rp 831.4K
37.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.4 NOK 568
$35.33 Rp 636.0K
70.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.9 NOK 827
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
11.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153 NOK 1,442
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
95.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Skien
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,042 NOK 9,811
$1,142 Rp 20.6M
-8.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$975 NOK 9,183
$676 Rp 12.2M
44.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,035 NOK 9,746
$3,503 Rp 63.1M
-70.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$939 NOK 8,841
$1,700 Rp 30.6M
-44.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,395 NOK 32.0K
$2,784 Rp 50.1M
21.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,149 NOK 29.6K
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
40.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Skien
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,236 NOK 39.9K
$165 Rp 3.0M
2474.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.37
13.78
-68.29%

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

Last update for Skien: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Skien
$975
Ubud, Bali
$676 30.7% $300
Groceries & Markets
Skien
$470
Ubud, Bali
$290 38.2% $179
Eating Out
Skien
$391
Ubud, Bali
$109 72.2% $282
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Skien
$181
Ubud, Bali
$108 40.4% $73
Clothing & Footwear
Skien
$164
Ubud, Bali
$108 34.5% $57
Getting Around
Skien
$81
Ubud, Bali
$13 84.5% $69
Sport & Entertainment
Skien
$74
Ubud, Bali
$65 12.4% $9.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,042 in Skien 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 2474% higher in Skien, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Skien versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $470 vs $290 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Skien
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
17:10 5:10 PM
23:10 11:10 PM
6 h ahead of Skien
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
56,769
74,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Skien Ubud, Bali 11,710 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Skien
  • 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
Skien vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ubud, Bali cheaper than Skien?
Yes – Skien is pricier by about 71%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,504 per month in Skien and $2,051 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Skien or in Ubud, Bali?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Skien and $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Skien and in Ubud, Bali?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,336 in Skien and $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. That's a gap of about 71%.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Skien or in Ubud, Bali?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,368, than in Skien at $2,336. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skien it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Skien or Ubud, Bali more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Skien or Ubud, Bali?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Skien makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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