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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $672 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,070 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,468 in Balikpapan.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 103% more expensive than in Balikpapan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Balikpapan is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

149.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$11.14 Rp 197.3K

225.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$3.17 Rp 56.1K

80.13%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$1.45 Rp 25.8K

84.14%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.38 Rp 6,782

360.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.37 Rp 6,529

135.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.40 Rp 42.5K

22.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.53 Rp 62.5K

28.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

36.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

109.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

-5.13%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.59 Rp 45.9K

-15.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$7.34 Rp 130.0K

141.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$2.97 Rp 52.6K

38.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$6.78 Rp 120.1K

79.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

62.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.27 Rp 22.4K

25.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

34.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

56.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.31 Rp 23.3K

45.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.01 Rp 35.6K

15.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

38.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

-20.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

17.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$20.60 Rp 364.7K

11.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

26.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$3.00 Rp 53.0K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.55 Rp 9,817

-50.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

-58.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.34 Rp 5,944

26.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$2.89 Rp 51.2K

95.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

5.26%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$23.5K Rp 416.3M

6.11%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$31.2K Rp 552.0M

1.72%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

16.57%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

43.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$29.58 Rp 523.8K

-36.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$24.45 Rp 433.0K

132.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$8.64 Rp 153.1K

116.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

59.30%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$94.7 Rp 1.7M

407.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$6,923 Rp 122.6M

-17.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$38.44 Rp 680.6K

18.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$19.51 Rp 345.5K

83.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$141 Rp 2.5M

-43.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

11.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$203 Rp 3.6M

447.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$156 Rp 2.8M

346.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$557 Rp 9.9M

552.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$367 Rp 6.5M

373.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$1,079 Rp 19.1M

157.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$709 Rp 12.6M

222.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$245 Rp 4.3M

-31.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.46

45.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $203 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balikpapan pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $11.00 in Balikpapan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $203 per month, with Balikpapan 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 Balikpapan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Balikpapan differ by about 103% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $672 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Balikpapan. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $203 in Balikpapan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $94.7 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Balikpapan – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $672 in Balikpapan versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Balikpapan but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Balikpapan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Balikpapan 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 Balikpapan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.