🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $364 in Sylhet versus $1,379 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $615 in Sylhet versus $2,363 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $866 in Sylhet versus $3,347 in Ubud, Bali.
🌍Living in Sylhet costs roughly 74% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Sylhet is 73% below, Ubud, Bali is 1% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sylhet
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.45৳299
$3.31Rp 58.9K
-25.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$11.32৳1,382
$39.08Rp 694.5K
-71.03%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.96৳483
$5.62Rp 99.8K
-29.54%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.00৳610
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01৳490
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.99৳242
$2.64Rp 46.9K
-24.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30৳36.26
$1.58Rp 28.2K
-81.01%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.16৳20.04
$0.71Rp 12.6K
-77.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.73Rp 48.5K
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.32Rp 76.8K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sylhet
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.83৳101
$1.54Rp 27.4K
-46.10%
White Bread(500g)
$0.59৳72.3
$2.30Rp 40.8K
-74.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.64৳78.1
$1.03Rp 18.3K
-37.86%
Eggs
$1.16৳142
$2.12Rp 37.7K
-45.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.51৳917
$17.30Rp 307.5K
-56.59%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.34৳407
$4.03Rp 71.6K
-17.12%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.56৳800
$12.42Rp 220.8K
-47.18%
Apples(1kg)
$2.70৳330
$3.70Rp 65.7K
-27.03%
Banana(1kg)
$0.93৳114
$1.62Rp 28.7K
-42.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41৳294
$2.27Rp 40.3K
6.17%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.67৳81.6
$1.99Rp 35.4K
-66.33%
Potato(1kg)
$0.24৳29.40
$1.83Rp 32.5K
-86.89%
Onion(1kg)
$0.50৳60.6
$2.25Rp 40.1K
-77.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.31৳38.34
$1.04Rp 18.6K
-70.19%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30৳36.81
$0.56Rp 10.0K
-46.43%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$2.78৳339
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.09৳255
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.93৳479
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.80৳341
$2.22Rp 39.5K
26.13%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$23.22Rp 412.7K
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.39Rp 42.5K
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.87Rp 51.1K
-
🚌 Getting Around
Sylhet
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.75৳91.6
$0.25Rp 4,416
200.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$24.33৳2,969
$7.17Rp 127.4K
239.33%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.19৳145
$0.46Rp 8,163
158.70%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.15৳18.61
$0.46Rp 8,235
-67.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.17৳143
$5.70Rp 101.2K
-79.47%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.02৳125
$0.76Rp 13.6K
34.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.3K৳3.6M
$24.6KRp 436.7M
19.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5K৳3.8M
$31.0KRp 551.5M
1.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sylhet
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$25.76৳3,143
$82.2Rp 1.5M
-68.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.86৳471
$6.33Rp 112.5K
-39.02%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.38৳1,510
$18.54Rp 329.6K
-33.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sylhet
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$9.20৳1,122
$56.1Rp 996.2K
-83.59%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.02৳490
$18.41Rp 327.2K
-78.16%
Cinema Ticket
$4.12৳503
$4.26Rp 75.8K
-3.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sylhet
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$28.72৳3,504
$489Rp 8.7M
-94.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$994৳121.3K
$5,793Rp 103.0M
-82.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sylhet
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$16.33৳1,992
$45.98Rp 817.3K
-64.48%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$16.16৳1,972
$35.86Rp 637.4K
-54.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$36.29৳4,428
$79.5Rp 1.4M
-54.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.90৳3,648
$80.9Rp 1.4M
-63.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sylhet
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$130৳15.8K
$1,144Rp 20.3M
-88.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$57.5৳7,011
$692Rp 12.3M
-91.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$172৳21.0K
$3,532Rp 62.8M
-95.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$158৳19.3K
$1,709Rp 30.4M
-90.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$698৳85.1K
$2,785Rp 49.5M
-74.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$353৳43.0K
$2,261Rp 40.2M
-84.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sylhet
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$229৳28.0K
$169Rp 3.0M
35.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.98
13.78
-20.32%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sylhet: August 17, 2026
Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $130 in Sylhet and $1,144 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Sylhet pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $11.00 in Sylhet vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $119 vs $293 per month, with Sylhet 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
Sylhet vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sylhet and in Ubud, Bali?
Sylhet and Ubud, Bali differ by about 279% in total monthly costs ($364 vs $1,379 including rent). Sylhet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Sylhet or Ubud, Bali?
Average pay runs 35% higher in Sylhet, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Sylhet and in Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $130 in Sylhet versus $1,144 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 146% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Sylhet – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $364 in Sylhet versus $1,379 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sylhet but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sylhet the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sylhet and Ubud, Bali?
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.
Is Sylhet or Ubud, Bali safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sylhet 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.
Where should expats move: Sylhet or Ubud, Bali?
Expats usually find Sylhet gentler on the wallet – expenses run 279% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.