Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Ames, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Ames, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,095 in Ames, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,171 in Ames, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,246 in Ames, IA.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 33% less than in Ames, IA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Ames, IA 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$17.67 $17.67

-80.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$45.18 $45.18

-28.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$9.17 $9.17

-47.22%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$5.29 $5.29

-48.02%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$2.02 $2.02

-31.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$1.79 $1.79

-58.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$3.04 $3.04

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$7.01 $7.01

-45.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.02 $1.02

70.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$3.61 $3.61

-31.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$3.05 $3.05

-61.64%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$3.20 $3.20

-24.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$9.55 $9.55

51.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$11.58 $11.58

-62.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$14.26 $14.26

-15.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$4.97 $4.97

-25.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.16 $1.16

40.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$5.65 $5.65

-51.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$5.10 $5.10

-56.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$3.97 $3.97

-51.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$3.78 $3.78

-39.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$2.02 $2.02

-47.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$1.91 $1.91

-62.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$9.18 $9.18

-64.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$16.12 $16.12

43.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$1.70 $1.70

63.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$4.58 $4.58

-40.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$1.54 $1.54

-82.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$48.34 $48.34

-83.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$5.07 $5.07

-90.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$1.42 $1.42

-70.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$49.06 $49.06

-87.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.87 $0.87

-6.90%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$25.4K $25.4K

4.62%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$25.2K $25.2K

27.70%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$193 $193

-59.38%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$48.88 $48.88

-91.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$72.8 $72.8

-66.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$69.1 $69.1

42.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$19.83 $19.83

-68.03%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$14.02 $14.02

-71.54%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$1,458 $1,458

-79.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$30.4K $30.4K

-78.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$39.41 $39.41

37.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$42.67 $42.67

-11.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$84.2 $84.2

3.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$115 $115

-33.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$989 $989

0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$814 $814

-17.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$1,904 $1,904

77.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$1,667 $1,667

23.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$2,363 $2,363

18.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$2,255 $2,255

-1.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$3,584 $3,584

-95.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.02

120.60%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ames, IA: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $989 in Ames, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ames, IA pays 2047% 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: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $45.00 in Ames, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $381 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 Ames, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Ames, IA. 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 2047% lower in Ames, IA. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $989 in Ames, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 496% less than in Ames, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,458 in Ames, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,095 in Ames, IA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Ames, IA. 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 $1,408 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 Ames, IA 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 49% less than in Ames, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.