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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $521 in Ardabil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $812 in Ardabil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,103 in Ardabil.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 165% more expensive than in Ardabil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Ardabil is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.26 $3.26

2.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$16.29 $16.29

119.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$4.04 $4.04

39.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.90 $0.90

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$1.13 $1.13

149.56%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.50 $0.50

250.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.97 $0.97

-17.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$0.67 $0.67

140.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.48 $0.48

372.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$2.03 $2.03

-42.36%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.19 $1.19

82.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$3.69 $3.69

377.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$3.21 $3.21

26.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$9.83 $9.83

23.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$1.01 $1.01

258.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.54 $1.54

6.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$0.86 $0.86

168.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$0.60 $0.60

226.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.54 $0.54

240.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.51 $0.51

364.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.59 $0.59

77.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.24 $0.24

125.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 $0.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 $1.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$2.36 $2.36

-2.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.19 $0.19

31.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$7.73 $7.73

21.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$0.46 $0.46

6.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.31 $0.31

51.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$2.28 $2.28

145.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.08 $0.08

912.50%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$50.0K $50.0K

-49.98%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$42.8K $42.8K

-27.36%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$13.55 $13.55

510.48%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$1.61 $1.61

303.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$3.68 $3.68

410.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$18.20 $18.20

203.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$13.82 $13.82

31.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$1.99 $1.99

116.08%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$107 $107

362.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$1,585 $1,585

273.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$21.05 $21.05

119.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$27.40 $27.40

32.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$104 $104

-22.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$71.5 $71.5

10.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$287 $287

288.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$206 $206

235.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$654 $654

456.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$345 $345

395.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$1,145 $1,145

141.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$569 $569

303.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

23.21

-40.63%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ardabil: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $287 in Ardabil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $16.00 in Ardabil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $110 per month, with Ardabil 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 Ardabil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ardabil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 165% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,067 in Ubud, Bali and $781 in Ardabil 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $287 in Ardabil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ardabil runs roughly 22% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $107 in Ardabil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $521 in Ardabil versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ardabil but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Ardabil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ardabil is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Ardabil 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 Ardabil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 165% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.