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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $593 in Bandarawela, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $923 in Bandarawela, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,254 in Bandarawela, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 138% more than Bandarawela, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Bandarawela is 56% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$4.07 LKR 1,367

-15.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$24.85 LKR 8,351

30.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$8.41 LKR 2,825

-42.45%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.66 LKR 895

3.38%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.72 LKR 243

91.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.37 LKR 125

102.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.31 LKR 777

29.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$3.36 LKR 1,129

14.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.71 LKR 576

1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.51 LKR 173

382.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.87 LKR 294

34.48%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.23 LKR 750

8.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$13.84 LKR 4,652

4.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$4.76 LKR 1,598

-8.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$7.91 LKR 2,659

51.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$7.36 LKR 2,472

-49.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.07 LKR 358

52.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$5.66 LKR 1,902

-51.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.26 LKR 422

77.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.10 LKR 369

74.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.37 LKR 460

66.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.20 LKR 403

-11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.60 LKR 201

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$9.99 LKR 3,356

-67.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$12.60 LKR 4,235

84.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.02 LKR 678

37.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.83 LKR 950

-3.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.17 LKR 56.3

58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$1.63 LKR 549

397.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$0.38 LKR 128

26.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.33 LKR 111

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$0.48 LKR 161

1195.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.02 LKR 343

-20.59%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

-0.99%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

-6.12%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$61.2 LKR 20.6K

27.94%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$4.44 LKR 1,493

-8.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$15.18 LKR 5,101

60.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$5.06 LKR 1,700

1848.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$3.30 LKR 1,109

20.91%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$36.37 LKR 12.2K

738.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$445 LKR 149.5K

1393.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$27.67 LKR 9,298

95.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$19.65 LKR 6,604

92.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$70.4 LKR 23.7K

23.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$38.25 LKR 12.9K

99.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$100 LKR 33.7K

890.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$50.8 LKR 17.1K

1224.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$133 LKR 44.7K

2435.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$66.1 LKR 22.2K

3000.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

16.45

-19.27%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bandarawela: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $100 in Bandarawela. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $25.00 in Bandarawela. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $255 – making Bandarawela 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 Bandarawela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $593 in Bandarawela – roughly 138% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $889 in Bandarawela. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Ubud, Bali and $36.37 in Bandarawela. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bandarawela, where all-in costs run around $593, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Bandarawela it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $593 in Bandarawela to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Bandarawela. 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.