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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,000 in Apia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,533 in Apia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,757 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,066 in Apia.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 41% more expensive than Apia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Apia is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

$53.0 WST 143

-93.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

$36.10 WST 97.5

-8.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

$13.95 WST 37.67

-63.58%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

$2.49 WST 6.73

13.25%

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$1.99 WST 5.37

-31.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$1.32 WST 3.56

-46.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

$4.22 WST 11.39

-29.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

$3.50 WST 9.45

11.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$1.75 WST 4.74

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$0.83 WST 2.24

203.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$1.75 WST 4.72

-30.86%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$4.27 WST 11.54

-45.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

$0.88 WST 2.37

1547.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

$3.47 WST 9.36

25.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

$8.08 WST 21.82

49.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

$5.08 WST 13.72

-24.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.83 WST 4.94

-12.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

$1.82 WST 4.90

48.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$4.33 WST 11.70

-48.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$3.53 WST 9.54

-46.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$1.05 WST 2.84

107.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$1.17 WST 3.15

-34.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

$6.17 WST 16.65

-48.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

$16.57 WST 44.73

40.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$1.77 WST 4.78

61.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$3.51 WST 9.48

-22.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

$3.52 WST 9.50

-91.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

$5.40 WST 14.58

-90.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

$21.45 WST 57.9

-70.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$1.04 WST 2.82

-18.27%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

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

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$17.54 WST 47.35

354.79%

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

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

$17.72 WST 47.85

-76.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

$35.20 WST 95.0

-31.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

$49.68 WST 134

10.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

$40.15 WST 108

-3.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

$76.1 WST 205

17.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$99.0 WST 267

-20.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

$1,837 WST 4,959

11.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Last update for Apia: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali and $0 in Apia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33 in Ubud, Bali vs $36 in Apia. Groceries flip the comparison at $299 vs $235, with Apia cheaper for home cooking.

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 Apia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Apia wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Apia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,112 in Ubud, Bali and $1,499 in Apia to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,000 in Apia – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,000 in Apia versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Apia but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Apia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Apia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,000 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Apia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Apia 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 Apia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.