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: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $778 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,200 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,622 in Balikpapan.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 79% more expensive than Balikpapan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Balikpapan is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.2K

$1.57 Rp 27.8K

116.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 573.6K

$15.13 Rp 268.0K

114.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 88.6K

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

49.25%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.0K

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

63.01%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$0.40 Rp 7,116

245.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.38 Rp 6,803

92.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

$2.01 Rp 35.7K

48.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.3K

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

26.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 31.8K

$1.89 Rp 33.6K

-5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

-5.51%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

-10.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 255.1K

$7.92 Rp 140.3K

81.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

$5.03 Rp 89.2K

-14.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 209.4K

$7.95 Rp 140.8K

48.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.0K

$3.73 Rp 66.0K

1.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 28.9K

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

5.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

$2.12 Rp 37.6K

32.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

$1.26 Rp 22.3K

79.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.3K

$1.81 Rp 32.1K

10.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

$3.62 Rp 64.1K

-38.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 18.9K

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

13.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

-3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.4K

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

51.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

$21.59 Rp 382.5K

10.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

26.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

$4.33 Rp 76.8K

-35.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,726

$0.63 Rp 11.2K

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 148.2K

$9.67 Rp 171.2K

-13.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,034

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

-64.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,578

$0.38 Rp 6,652

13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 105.9K

$5.96 Rp 105.5K

0.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

8.11%

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

$25.8K Rp 457.2M

$24.5K Rp 434.5M

5.22%

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

$31.8K Rp 563.4M

$26.0K Rp 460.5M

22.33%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

-12.33%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.3K

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

38.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 427.2K

$31.61 Rp 560.0K

-23.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$21.70 Rp 384.3K

350.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 117.7K

$6.06 Rp 107.3K

9.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.5K

$3.12 Rp 55.3K

29.49%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$61.9 Rp 1.1M

380.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 116.7M

$7,588 Rp 134.4M

-13.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 976.8K

$41.41 Rp 733.6K

33.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 682.1K

$20.63 Rp 365.5K

86.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$124 Rp 2.2M

-30.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$124 Rp 2.2M

-36.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.5M

$222 Rp 3.9M

343.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$155 Rp 2.8M

327.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.0M

$492 Rp 8.7M

600.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.2M

$309 Rp 5.5M

560.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.1M

$1,084 Rp 19.2M

160.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.4M

$628 Rp 11.1M

263.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$195 Rp 3.4M

-13.01%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Ubud, Bali and $222 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balikpapan pays 15% 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 $15.00 in Balikpapan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $252 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 79% in total monthly costs ($1,394 vs $778 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Balikpapan earns 15% 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: $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $222 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 16% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $61.9 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $778 in Balikpapan versus $1,394 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 79% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.