Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Aiken, SC Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Aiken, SC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,342 in Aiken, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,192 in Aiken, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,042 in Aiken, SC.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 41% less than in Aiken, SC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, Aiken, SC 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$13.65 $13.65

-75.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$52.5 $52.5

-31.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$10.80 $10.80

-47.87%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$3.85 $3.85

-26.75%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$1.74 $1.74

0.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$1.98 $1.98

-59.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$5.04 $5.04

-39.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$7.54 $7.54

-42.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$0.99 $0.99

62.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$2.86 $2.86

-20.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$3.45 $3.45

-66.09%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$3.49 $3.49

-37.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$16.46 $16.46

7.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$6.31 $6.31

-35.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$18.21 $18.21

-33.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$5.22 $5.22

-30.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$0.63 $0.63

160.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.94 $2.94

-21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$3.99 $3.99

-50.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.93 $1.93

-4.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$2.72 $2.72

-12.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.94 $1.94

-45.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$2.35 $2.35

-77.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$7.45 $7.45

-69.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$13.93 $13.93

65.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.97 $1.97

18.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$3.67 $3.67

-16.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$3.06 $3.06

-83.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$1.82 $1.82

-74.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$30.40 $30.40

-81.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.73 $0.73

10.96%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$35.6K $35.6K

-29.75%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$25.3K $25.3K

22.82%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$170 $170

-51.44%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$66.5 $66.5

-90.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$81.2 $81.2

-76.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$57.8 $57.8

-4.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$15.98 $15.98

-73.09%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$553 $553

-10.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$24.5K $24.5K

-75.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$50.1 $50.1

-7.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$37.89 $37.89

-3.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$93.0 $93.0

-13.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$65.0 $65.0

21.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$1,349 $1,349

-17.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$1,183 $1,183

-41.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$1,767 $1,767

105.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$1,701 $1,701

0.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$1,640 $1,640

68.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,362 $1,362

68.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$2,913 $2,913

-94.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.07

127.02%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Aiken, SC: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $1,349 in Aiken, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aiken, SC pays 1643% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $52.0 in Aiken, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $356 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 70% lower than in Aiken, SC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1643% lower in Aiken, SC. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,349 in Aiken, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $553 in Aiken, SC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $52.0 in Aiken, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,342 in Aiken, SC, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Aiken, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,378 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Aiken, SC 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Aiken, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.