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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $664 in Batam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,132 in Batam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,600 in Batam.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 114% more expensive than Batam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Batam is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

28.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$9.36 Rp 167.7K

249.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$3.63 Rp 65.1K

36.36%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$2.11 Rp 37.9K

28.44%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$1.28 Rp 23.0K

4.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.41 Rp 7,417

70.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$4.06 Rp 72.8K

-2.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

50.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

110.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

34.88%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

82.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$8.05 Rp 144.4K

82.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$2.65 Rp 47.5K

63.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$4.91 Rp 88.1K

147.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

60.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$2.18 Rp 39.2K

-28.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$2.23 Rp 39.9K

26.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

102.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

92.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$2.10 Rp 37.6K

4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

-30.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.40 Rp 7,145

95.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

21.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$14.28 Rp 255.9K

66.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.95 Rp 35.0K

43.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.61 Rp 46.7K

9.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.47 Rp 8,359

-42.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$16.67 Rp 298.8K

-51.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

-61.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$0.63 Rp 11.4K

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$3.74 Rp 67.0K

63.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

3.95%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$29.8K Rp 533.5M

-12.13%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$18.7K Rp 335.2M

71.78%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$75.5 Rp 1.4M

5.91%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$4.13 Rp 74.1K

-1.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$25.19 Rp 451.5K

-6.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$29.45 Rp 527.9K

235.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$8.27 Rp 148.3K

-19.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$3.12 Rp 56.0K

33.01%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$91.3 Rp 1.6M

233.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$3,649 Rp 65.4M

81.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$35.38 Rp 634.1K

56.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$20.60 Rp 369.3K

85.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

23.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$26.15 Rp 468.7K

197.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$300 Rp 5.4M

235.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$161 Rp 2.9M

318.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$915 Rp 16.4M

276.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$556 Rp 10.0M

267.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$563 Rp 10.1M

405.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$346 Rp 6.2M

-52.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

13.88

-4.32%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Batam: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $300 in Batam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Batam pays 110% 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 $9.00 in Batam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $186 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, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out. The 114% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Batam earns 110% 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $300 in Batam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Batam runs roughly 108% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $91.3 in Batam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $664 in Batam versus $1,419 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 114% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.