Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Bac Ninh Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Bac Ninh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,402 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $464 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $734 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,340 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,005 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 203% more than Bac Ninh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Bac Ninh is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.6K

$1.13 ₫29.3K

204.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.78 Rp 640.9K

$21.30 ₫553.2K

67.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 Rp 98.0K

$2.60 ₫67.4K

110.38%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.9K

$1.12 ₫29.0K

138.39%

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

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$0.26 ₫6,729

596.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$0.20 ₫5,324

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 Rp 51.8K

$0.71 ₫18.6K

307.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$0.93 ₫24.3K

363.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

$1.47 ₫38.2K

3.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.10 ₫28.5K

107.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$0.75 ₫19.5K

54.67%

Eggs

$2.08 Rp 37.2K

$1.50 ₫38.9K

38.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.53 Rp 314.0K

$10.48 ₫272.1K

67.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 Rp 70.8K

$3.74 ₫97.2K

5.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.22 Rp 218.8K

$10.10 ₫262.2K

20.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 Rp 63.6K

$3.18 ₫82.6K

11.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.06 ₫27.4K

46.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.33 ₫34.6K

75.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.6K

$1.14 ₫29.6K

69.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

$0.97 ₫25.3K

87.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

$1.13 ₫29.3K

111.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

$0.55 ₫14.3K

87.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Rp 9,460

$0.55 ₫14.3K

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 Rp 39.4K

$1.43 ₫37.1K

53.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.44 Rp 402.0K

$12.64 ₫328.4K

77.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 Rp 42.2K

$0.93 ₫24.2K

152.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.8K

$1.67 ₫43.5K

79.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,866

$0.36 ₫9,395

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.04 Rp 161.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,506

$0.76 ₫19.7K

-38.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,328

$0.59 ₫15.4K

-22.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.71 Rp 102.3K

$2.28 ₫59.1K

150.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$0.89 ₫23.1K

-10.11%

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

$24.0K Rp 429.6M

$31.0K ₫803.9M

-22.51%

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

$30.9K Rp 554.2M

$31.0K ₫804.0M

-0.05%

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

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

$84.6 ₫2.2M

-1.79%

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

$6.48 Rp 116.1K

$5.04 ₫131.0K

28.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.96 Rp 339.6K

$7.08 ₫183.9K

167.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 Rp 989.7K

$11.65 ₫302.6K

374.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.30 Rp 327.8K

$7.89 ₫204.9K

131.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 Rp 80.5K

$3.14 ₫81.5K

42.99%

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

$492 Rp 8.8M

$685 ₫17.8M

-28.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,798 Rp 103.9M

$12.3K ₫319.3M

-52.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.22 Rp 827.9K

$47.47 ₫1.2M

-2.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.68 Rp 639.1K

$25.67 ₫666.6K

38.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 Rp 1.4M

$83.2 ₫2.2M

-4.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

$82.1 ₫2.1M

-2.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 Rp 20.0M

$698 ₫18.1M

60.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,605 Rp 64.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,711 Rp 30.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,734 Rp 49.0M

$1,660 ₫43.1M

64.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,300 Rp 41.2M

$761 ₫19.8M

202.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 Rp 3.1M

$372 ₫9.7M

-54.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.45

63.08%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 22, 2026

Last update for Bac Ninh: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,119 in Ubud, Bali versus $698 in Bac Ninh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 118% higher in Bac Ninh, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $21.00 in Bac Ninh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $196 – making Bac Ninh 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 Bac Ninh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 203% more than Bac Ninh, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,103 per month in Ubud, Bali and $695 in Bac Ninh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bac Ninh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $21.00 in Bac Ninh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bac Ninh, where all-in costs run around $464, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,402. In Bac Ninh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bac Ninh costs $464 versus $1,402 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bac Ninh. 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.