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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $531 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $866 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,201 in Badulla.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 171% more expensive than Badulla, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Badulla is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$4.08 LKR 1,300

-12.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$25.24 LKR 8,050

29.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$8.16 LKR 2,602

-37.87%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.62 LKR 836

8.02%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.74 LKR 236

81.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.37 LKR 119

86.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.36 LKR 752

26.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$3.33 LKR 1,062

15.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.66 LKR 530

4.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.53 LKR 168

379.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.69 LKR 220

72.46%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.15 LKR 685

13.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$14.31 LKR 4,563

2.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$3.99 LKR 1,271

4.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$7.86 LKR 2,505

51.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$7.67 LKR 2,447

-51.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.06 LKR 339

51.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$5.73 LKR 1,829

-53.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.21 LKR 387

92.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.11 LKR 355

72.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.43 LKR 455

53.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.20 LKR 383

-11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.61 LKR 193

18.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$9.86 LKR 3,145

-68.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$12.64 LKR 4,031

85.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.08 LKR 664

31.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.84 LKR 905

1.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.39 LKR 123

15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.36 LKR 114

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$0.61 LKR 193

909.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.20 LKR 382

-30.00%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$27.2K LKR 8.7M

-3.47%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$35.0K LKR 11.2M

-7.33%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$60.1 LKR 19.2K

30.46%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$4.20 LKR 1,340

-5.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$15.23 LKR 4,857

60.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$3.25 LKR 1,037

24.31%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$36.67 LKR 11.7K

725.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$441 LKR 140.6K

1379.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$28.02 LKR 8,937

92.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$19.70 LKR 6,283

92.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$69.3 LKR 22.1K

25.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$38.65 LKR 12.3K

104.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Badulla: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $25.00 in Badulla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $253 per month, with Badulla 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 Badulla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 171% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,158 in Ubud, Bali and $797 in Badulla 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.

Childcare runs $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $36.67 in Badulla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Badulla – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $531 in Badulla versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Badulla but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Badulla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Badulla 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 Badulla 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 Badulla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 171% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.