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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $616 in Batam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,017 in Batam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,418 in Batam.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 122% more expensive than in Batam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Batam is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$2.01 Rp 35.5K

71.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$8.68 Rp 153.7K

318.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$4.07 Rp 72.0K

40.29%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.14 Rp 38.0K

24.77%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.62 Rp 11.1K

182.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.31 Rp 5,506

180.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.60 Rp 46.0K

13.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.72 Rp 65.9K

21.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.16 Rp 20.6K

39.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.09 Rp 19.3K

113.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

42.31%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.30 Rp 23.1K

69.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$7.71 Rp 136.5K

129.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$2.54 Rp 45.0K

61.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$4.61 Rp 81.6K

164.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.19 Rp 38.7K

69.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$2.09 Rp 37.0K

-23.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$2.06 Rp 36.6K

10.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.06 Rp 18.8K

83.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

96.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.99 Rp 35.3K

17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

-24.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.45 Rp 8,033

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$2.76 Rp 48.8K

-19.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$13.89 Rp 245.9K

66.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

38.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.49 Rp 44.1K

20.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.41 Rp 7,309

-34.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

-57.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.60 Rp 10.6K

-28.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$3.58 Rp 63.3K

57.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

1.27%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$28.5K Rp 504.0M

-12.37%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$24.7K Rp 438.2M

28.15%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$72.0 Rp 1.3M

13.19%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$4.16 Rp 73.6K

56.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$23.70 Rp 419.6K

-20.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$26.92 Rp 476.7K

111.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$5.63 Rp 99.7K

232.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$2.66 Rp 47.0K

70.68%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

476.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$3,257 Rp 57.7M

75.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$32.47 Rp 574.9K

40.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$19.15 Rp 339.0K

87.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$67.0 Rp 1.2M

19.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$25.03 Rp 443.1K

214.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$274 Rp 4.8M

306.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$149 Rp 2.6M

368.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$823 Rp 14.6M

341.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$514 Rp 9.1M

238.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$556 Rp 9.8M

400.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$354 Rp 6.3M

-52.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

13.17

4.63%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Batam: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $274 in Batam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Batam pays 111% 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 $9.00 in Batam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $177 per month, with Batam 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 Batam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Batam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 122% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 111% lower in Batam. 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 $274 in Batam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $616 in Batam – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $616 in Batam versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Batam but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Batam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Batam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Batam 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 Batam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.