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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $774 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,193 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,612 in Balikpapan.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 86% more expensive than Balikpapan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Balikpapan is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$1.52 Rp 26.4K

134.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$15.63 Rp 270.8K

108.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$3.42 Rp 59.3K

48.25%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$1.81 Rp 31.4K

56.35%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.44 Rp 7,629

204.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.39 Rp 6,718

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.03 Rp 35.2K

47.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$3.16 Rp 54.8K

21.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.79 Rp 31.0K

-2.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.23 Rp 21.4K

106.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.28 Rp 22.1K

-7.03%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.66 Rp 46.1K

-8.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$7.92 Rp 137.3K

85.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$4.80 Rp 83.2K

-12.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$7.99 Rp 138.5K

49.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$3.64 Rp 63.1K

1.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.50 Rp 26.0K

7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.13 Rp 36.9K

26.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.19 Rp 20.7K

95.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.86 Rp 32.2K

2.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$3.77 Rp 65.3K

-41.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.00 Rp 17.3K

6.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.81 Rp 14.0K

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$2.06 Rp 35.8K

51.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$22.43 Rp 388.8K

4.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.18 Rp 37.7K

25.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$4.38 Rp 76.0K

-34.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.62 Rp 10.8K

-53.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$9.73 Rp 168.7K

-16.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.24 Rp 21.6K

-63.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.34 Rp 5,934

23.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$6.05 Rp 104.8K

1.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$0.78 Rp 13.5K

7.69%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$24.6K Rp 425.9M

6.81%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$25.9K Rp 448.9M

25.40%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$91.7 Rp 1.6M

-14.51%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$3.06 Rp 53.0K

29.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$32.34 Rp 560.5K

-24.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$21.34 Rp 369.8K

352.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$6.26 Rp 108.4K

1.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$3.00 Rp 51.9K

34.67%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$60.9 Rp 1.1M

397.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$7,667 Rp 132.9M

-14.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$41.90 Rp 726.2K

28.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$20.46 Rp 354.6K

85.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$125 Rp 2.2M

-30.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$121 Rp 2.1M

-35.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$217 Rp 3.8M

366.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$156 Rp 2.7M

331.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$497 Rp 8.6M

582.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$303 Rp 5.3M

591.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$1,193 Rp 20.7M

150.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$876 Rp 15.2M

166.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$204 Rp 3.5M

-15.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-11.47%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $217 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balikpapan pays 18% 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 $16.00 in Balikpapan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $251 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 86% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $774 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Balikpapan earns 18% less. 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $217 in Balikpapan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Balikpapan runs roughly 19% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $60.9 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $774 in Balikpapan versus $1,438 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 86% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.