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 $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $498 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $830 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,162 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 180% more than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Anuradhapura is 64% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$4.45 LKR 1,460

-24.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.4K

$24.30 LKR 7,973

58.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$7.71 LKR 2,530

-28.40%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$2.41 LKR 790

9.54%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$0.75 LKR 244

122.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.25 LKR 81.1

208.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$2.28 LKR 748

15.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$2.97 LKR 975

44.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.68 LKR 551

-7.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$0.57 LKR 188

289.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$0.80 LKR 263

41.25%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$1.63 LKR 535

28.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.7K

$13.09 LKR 4,295

32.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$4.98 LKR 1,634

-22.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.3K

$7.29 LKR 2,391

72.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$6.93 LKR 2,272

-47.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$0.88 LKR 287

77.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$4.26 LKR 1,396

-44.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$1.25 LKR 410

64.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$1.01 LKR 331

88.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.80 LKR 263

192.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.90 LKR 294

14.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,781

$0.45 LKR 147

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$10.54 LKR 3,458

-78.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.8K

$13.82 LKR 4,534

72.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.92 LKR 629

20.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$2.77 LKR 909

1.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,803

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,490

$0.42 LKR 137

14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,865

$0.35 LKR 114

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$0.89 LKR 293

542.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.34 LKR 439

-43.28%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.7M

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

-19.64%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.4M

$42.7K LKR 14.0M

-24.74%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$53.2 LKR 17.4K

57.20%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$4.28 LKR 1,405

50.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.9K

$20.72 LKR 6,796

-8.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 987.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$4.49 LKR 1,473

-4.68%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$38.75 LKR 12.7K

1155.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.3M

$1,201 LKR 394.1K

387.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.3K

$20.20 LKR 6,627

125.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.5K

$16.92 LKR 5,553

115.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$79.5 LKR 26.1K

3.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$43.16 LKR 14.2K

86.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

12.69

8.59%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $24.00 in Anuradhapura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $238 – 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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, $498 in Anuradhapura – roughly 180% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $747 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $24.00 in Anuradhapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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 $498, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. 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 $498 in Anuradhapura to $1,396 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.