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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $496 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $831 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,167 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 184% more than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Anuradhapura is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$4.03 LKR 1,355

-14.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$24.97 LKR 8,391

29.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$8.21 LKR 2,761

-41.05%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.73 LKR 919

0.73%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.72 LKR 244

91.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.40 LKR 135

87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.28 LKR 765

31.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$3.38 LKR 1,134

13.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.71 LKR 573

1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.55 LKR 185

347.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.80 LKR 270

46.25%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.23 LKR 750

8.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$14.26 LKR 4,792

1.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$4.72 LKR 1,587

-7.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$8.28 LKR 2,782

44.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$7.61 LKR 2,556

-51.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.08 LKR 363

50.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$5.69 LKR 1,912

-51.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.20 LKR 402

86.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.11 LKR 374

72.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.40 LKR 472

62.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.16 LKR 389

-8.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.56 LKR 188

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$9.92 LKR 3,333

-66.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$12.49 LKR 4,197

85.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.09 LKR 703

33.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.87 LKR 963

-4.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$0.39 LKR 130

23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.36 LKR 120

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$0.61 LKR 206

919.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.21 LKR 407

-33.06%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

-1.90%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$35.0K LKR 11.8M

-8.10%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$27.06 LKR 9,094

189.54%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$3.41 LKR 1,147

19.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$15.08 LKR 5,068

61.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$3.41 LKR 1,146

17.01%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$37.37 LKR 12.6K

716.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$447 LKR 150.3K

1384.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$27.71 LKR 9,312

95.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$19.27 LKR 6,476

96.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$70.5 LKR 23.7K

23.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$38.87 LKR 13.1K

96.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

16.45

-19.27%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $25.00 in Anuradhapura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $258 – making Anuradhapura the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Anuradhapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $496 in Anuradhapura – roughly 184% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $744 in Anuradhapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $25.00 in Anuradhapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Anuradhapura, where all-in costs run around $496, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Anuradhapura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $496 in Anuradhapura to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Anuradhapura. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.