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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $827 in Tulcán versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,400 in Tulcán versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,973 in Tulcán versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Tulcán costs roughly 40% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tulcán is 40% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 $5.47

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

59.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.4 $54.4

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

49.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 $7.80

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

36.60%

Cappuccino

$3.42 $3.42

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

28.09%

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

$1.41 $1.41

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-19.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

20.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

19.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

-32.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-31.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

41.44%

Eggs

$2.11 $2.11

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

-4.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.35 $6.35

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

-64.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

34.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.51 $7.51

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

-38.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

-37.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

-24.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

-41.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

-42.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

-35.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-55.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

-9.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

$0.55 Rp 9,773

90.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.07 $6.07

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

172.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.16 $10.16

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

-55.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

-37.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

2.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.27 Rp 4,814

14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.54 $15.54

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

73.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.48 Rp 8,566

220.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.43 Rp 7,679

255.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.90 $9.90

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

75.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

1.25%

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

$20.6K $20.6K

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

-17.35%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

-11.72%

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

$29.09 $29.09

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-64.29%

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

$17.76 $17.76

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

173.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.00 $28.00

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

49.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.57 $33.57

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-40.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.26 $14.26

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

-23.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 $6.71

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

47.80%

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

$218 $218

$481 Rp 8.5M

-54.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,848 $8,848

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

54.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 $63.5

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

39.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.48 $49.48

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

37.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

41.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

35.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 $345

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

-69.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 $193

$698 Rp 12.4M

-72.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$649 $649

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-82.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 $380

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-78.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 $1,309

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

-52.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$828 $828

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

-63.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

13.78

-26.56%

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

Last update for Tulcán: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Tulcán and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Tulcán vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 vs $295, with Tulcán 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

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

Tulcán and Ubud, Bali differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($827 vs $1,368 including rent). Tulcán is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,240 in Tulcán and $2,052 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: $345 in Tulcán versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $218 in Tulcán versus $481 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $827 in Tulcán versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tulcán but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Tulcán 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, Tulcán 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 Tulcán gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.