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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $489 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $823 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,157 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 190% more than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Anuradhapura is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$3.91 LKR 1,296

-8.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$25.39 LKR 8,419

28.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$8.41 LKR 2,788

-41.14%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.63 LKR 871

3.04%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.69 LKR 229

94.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.38 LKR 125

84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.38 LKR 791

22.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$3.39 LKR 1,125

16.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.72 LKR 572

5.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.56 LKR 186

350.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.85 LKR 283

36.47%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.22 LKR 736

10.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$13.83 LKR 4,587

6.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$4.69 LKR 1,555

-7.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$8.02 LKR 2,659

51.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$7.26 LKR 2,406

-47.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.11 LKR 368

40.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$5.91 LKR 1,958

-52.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.24 LKR 411

87.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.10 LKR 364

73.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.42 LKR 471

54.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.15 LKR 382

-12.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.60 LKR 200

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$10.18 LKR 3,377

-67.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$12.77 LKR 4,236

85.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$2.07 LKR 685

34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.87 LKR 953

-0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$0.39 LKR 128

17.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.35 LKR 117

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$0.56 LKR 186

989.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.20 LKR 396

-34.17%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

-3.40%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$35.3K LKR 11.7M

-8.90%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$26.43 LKR 8,764

202.46%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$3.25 LKR 1,079

24.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$14.92 LKR 4,948

57.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$3.29 LKR 1,090

26.14%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$36.52 LKR 12.1K

732.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$439 LKR 145.7K

1405.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$28.02 LKR 9,292

98.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$19.62 LKR 6,504

95.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$69.8 LKR 23.1K

26.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$39.00 LKR 12.9K

99.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $25.00 in Anuradhapura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $257 – 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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, $489 in Anuradhapura – roughly 190% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $734 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 $33.00 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 18% 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 $489, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. 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 $489 in Anuradhapura to $1,419 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.