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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $531 in Trincomalee versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $856 in Trincomalee versus $2,582 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,181 in Trincomalee versus $3,757 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Trincomalee costs roughly 62% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Trincomalee is 60% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.96 LKR 1,252

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

15.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.31 LKR 8,010

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

-23.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 LKR 2,596

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

61.42%

Cappuccino

$2.67 LKR 844

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

-5.32%

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

$0.70 LKR 220

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

-48.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 128

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

-42.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 724

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

-22.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 LKR 1,056

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

-14.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 537

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 165

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

-79.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 271

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

-28.93%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 706

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

-4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.35 LKR 4,543

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

-1.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 LKR 1,516

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

9.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 LKR 2,536

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

-33.53%

Apples (1kg)

$7.62 LKR 2,412

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

99.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 350

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

-31.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 LKR 1,849

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

116.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 379

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

-46.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 367

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

-38.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 436

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

-36.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 360

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

10.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 192

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

-20.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.91 LKR 3,137

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

211.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.81 LKR 4,053

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

-44.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 652

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

-27.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 918

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

6.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 121

$0.49 Rp 8,344

-22.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 103

$0.45 Rp 7,812

-26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 192

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

-90.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 395

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

47.06%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.3M

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

1.12%

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

$35.5K LKR 11.2M

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

12.50%

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

$60.1 LKR 19.0K

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

-24.71%

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

$4.44 LKR 1,407

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

8.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.31 LKR 4,847

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

-36.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 LKR 1,084

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

-17.19%

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

$36.76 LKR 11.6K

$297 Rp 5.1M

-87.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$440 LKR 139.2K

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

-93.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.48 LKR 8,699

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

-50.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.21 LKR 6,080

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

-50.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 LKR 22.0K

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

-22.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.16 LKR 12.4K

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-50.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

13.28

23.87%

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

Last update for Trincomalee: April 21, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $0 in Trincomalee and $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25 in Trincomalee vs $33 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 vs $299 per month, with Trincomalee 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

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

Trincomalee is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 165% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $797 in Trincomalee and $2,112 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.

Childcare runs $36.76 in Trincomalee versus $297 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Trincomalee – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $531 in Trincomalee versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Trincomalee but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Trincomalee the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Trincomalee 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.

Safety-wise, Trincomalee 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 Trincomalee gentler on the wallet – expenses run 165% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.