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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $661 in Ambon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,017 in Ambon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,373 in Ambon.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 110% more expensive than in Ambon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Ambon is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$0.88 Rp 16.0K

305.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$12.22 Rp 220.6K

164.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$3.36 Rp 60.7K

49.11%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$1.74 Rp 31.3K

62.07%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.51 Rp 9,186

164.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.26 Rp 4,733

180.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.49 Rp 44.9K

17.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$3.45 Rp 62.3K

14.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

49.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.16 Rp 21.0K

111.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

23.66%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.55 Rp 27.9K

55.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$8.19 Rp 147.8K

74.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$3.11 Rp 56.2K

34.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$8.07 Rp 145.7K

49.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

55.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.82 Rp 32.8K

53.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

43.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

48.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.89 Rp 34.1K

20.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.95 Rp 17.2K

10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.45 Rp 8,112

75.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$2.54 Rp 45.9K

25.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$19.90 Rp 359.2K

18.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.13 Rp 38.4K

36.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$3.07 Rp 55.4K

-10.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.32 Rp 5,778

-15.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$9.70 Rp 175.2K

-13.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$0.57 Rp 10.3K

-21.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.37 Rp 6,736

24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$2.94 Rp 53.0K

106.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

3.61%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$24.7K Rp 446.0M

7.62%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$27.6K Rp 497.4M

18.14%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

11.45%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$4.21 Rp 76.0K

-2.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$22.67 Rp 409.3K

5.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$23.43 Rp 422.9K

321.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$6.00 Rp 108.4K

5.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$3.04 Rp 54.8K

31.91%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$91.5 Rp 1.7M

224.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$7,444 Rp 134.4M

-11.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$42.02 Rp 758.5K

27.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$31.12 Rp 561.7K

22.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

32.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$72.5 Rp 1.3M

5.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$261 Rp 4.7M

290.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$158 Rp 2.9M

330.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$582 Rp 10.5M

495.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$329 Rp 5.9M

535.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$1,166 Rp 21.0M

134.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$611 Rp 11.0M

275.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$170 Rp 3.1M

-3.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.15

45.14%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Ambon: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $261 in Ambon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ambon pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $12.00 in Ambon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $207 per month, with Ambon 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 Ambon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 110% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Ambon. 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $261 in Ambon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $661 in Ambon – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 16% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $661 in Ambon versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambon but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Ambon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $661 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Ambon 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 Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.