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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $532 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $854 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,177 in Badulla.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 164% more expensive than Badulla, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Badulla is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$3.99 LKR 1,330

-10.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$25.26 LKR 8,427

28.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$8.42 LKR 2,810

-42.28%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.73 LKR 909

0.73%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.73 LKR 245

80.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.38 LKR 127

84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.33 LKR 777

24.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.45 LKR 1,149

9.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.68 LKR 562

1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.51 LKR 172

384.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$0.73 LKR 243

64.38%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.13 LKR 710

14.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$14.30 LKR 4,769

0.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$4.01 LKR 1,337

7.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$7.88 LKR 2,627

54.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$7.31 LKR 2,437

-49.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.12 LKR 373

38.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$5.88 LKR 1,960

-52.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.24 LKR 415

87.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.11 LKR 370

77.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.42 LKR 472

62.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.16 LKR 386

-8.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.56 LKR 187

30.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$10.18 LKR 3,397

-67.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$12.85 LKR 4,288

77.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.99 LKR 664

41.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.83 LKR 942

-1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.39 LKR 130

15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.35 LKR 118

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$0.60 LKR 202

940.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.26 LKR 421

-32.54%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

-1.10%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

-10.01%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$60.2 LKR 20.1K

34.07%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$4.23 LKR 1,411

-4.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$14.91 LKR 4,974

63.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$3.40 LKR 1,136

18.82%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$36.14 LKR 12.1K

741.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$433 LKR 144.3K

1430.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$27.33 LKR 9,116

98.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$19.72 LKR 6,579

96.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$69.1 LKR 23.1K

24.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$38.71 LKR 12.9K

98.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$4,516 LKR 1.5M

-39.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$734 LKR 244.9K

203.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$218 LKR 72.8K

-25.11%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Badulla: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Badulla pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $25.00 in Badulla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $252 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 164% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Badulla earns 34% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $36.14 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 $532 in Badulla versus $1,404 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 164% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.