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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $530 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $845 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,159 in Badulla.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 163% more expensive than in Badulla, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Badulla is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$4.12 LKR 1,384

-13.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$24.75 LKR 8,304

30.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$8.61 LKR 2,888

-41.81%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.74 LKR 919

2.92%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.69 LKR 232

95.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.41 LKR 137

78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.38 LKR 799

23.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$3.31 LKR 1,112

19.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.62 LKR 542

9.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.53 LKR 177

362.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.68 LKR 228

69.12%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.19 LKR 734

10.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$13.97 LKR 4,687

2.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$3.98 LKR 1,337

5.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$8.24 LKR 2,764

46.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$7.30 LKR 2,449

-50.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.06 LKR 355

48.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$5.91 LKR 1,984

-52.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.24 LKR 417

80.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.16 LKR 390

70.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.37 LKR 459

66.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.16 LKR 388

-9.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.56 LKR 190

41.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$9.91 LKR 3,324

-67.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$12.40 LKR 4,159

89.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.11 LKR 707

37.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.93 LKR 983

-5.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$0.42 LKR 140

7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.36 LKR 119

27.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$0.62 LKR 207

879.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.21 LKR 407

-28.93%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

0.88%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$34.9K LKR 11.7M

-6.68%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$60.6 LKR 20.3K

30.37%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$4.35 LKR 1,460

-5.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$15.30 LKR 5,132

55.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$3.41 LKR 1,145

17.60%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$37.15 LKR 12.5K

700.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$443 LKR 148.6K

1391.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$27.18 LKR 9,121

96.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$19.29 LKR 6,471

97.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$68.5 LKR 23.0K

29.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$38.49 LKR 12.9K

99.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$4,451 LKR 1.5M

-38.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$755 LKR 253.2K

204.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$222 LKR 74.6K

-26.34%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Badulla: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Badulla pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $25.00 in Badulla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $251 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 163% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Badulla. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $37.15 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $530 in Badulla versus $1,392 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 163% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.