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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $900 in Balikesir, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,488 in Balikesir, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,075 in Balikesir, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 60% more than Balikesir, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Balikesir is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$7.54 ₺340

-52.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$26.23 ₺1,184

24.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$7.54 ₺340

-32.76%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.42 ₺109

16.94%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.95 ₺42.98

41.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.33 ₺14.85

109.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.49 ₺112

20.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$3.52 ₺159

9.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$0.98 ₺44.32

77.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.53 ₺24.05

379.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.26 ₺57.0

-5.56%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.94 ₺87.4

25.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$7.60 ₺343

92.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$5.08 ₺229

-17.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$17.89 ₺808

-33.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$1.58 ₺71.5

133.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$2.35 ₺106

-31.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.42 ₺64.1

89.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.55 ₺69.8

50.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.67 ₺30.32

185.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.60 ₺27.23

265.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.92 ₺41.64

15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.53 ₺24.10

35.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$2.23 ₺101

40.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$10.05 ₺454

133.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.33 ₺105

17.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$3.25 ₺147

-11.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.66 ₺29.60

-56.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$28.89 ₺1,304

-71.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.99 ₺89.8

-77.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.64 ₺29.01

-34.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$9.05 ₺408

-31.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.17 ₺53.0

-28.21%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$41.1K ₺1.9M

-36.16%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$44.4K ₺2.0M

-26.87%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$63.8 ₺2,879

22.95%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$11.68 ₺527

-66.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$11.62 ₺525

109.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$58.2 ₺2,627

65.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$12.67 ₺572

-49.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$5.31 ₺240

-23.92%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$838 ₺37.8K

-63.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$5,344 ₺241.2K

22.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$32.05 ₺1,447

67.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$40.84 ₺1,844

-7.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$88.5 ₺3,996

-1.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$62.9 ₺2,840

25.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$418 ₺18.9K

142.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$252 ₺11.4K

168.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$882 ₺39.8K

284.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$593 ₺26.8K

253.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$1,336 ₺60.3K

123.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$851 ₺38.4K

174.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$978 ₺44.1K

-82.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

29.75

-55.36%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Balikesir: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $418 in Balikesir. 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 465% higher in Balikesir, 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $26.00 in Balikesir. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $217 – making Balikesir 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 Balikesir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 60% more than Balikesir, 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 $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,350 in Balikesir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $900 in Balikesir. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 254% less in Balikesir. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Balikesir, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In Balikesir 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. Balikesir costs $900 versus $1,438 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 Balikesir. 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.