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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $660 in Batam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,103 in Batam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,546 in Batam.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 113% more expensive than in Batam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Batam is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$2.79 Rp 50.1K

23.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$9.30 Rp 167.2K

247.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$3.54 Rp 63.5K

36.72%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

24.43%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.33 Rp 24.0K

3.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.41 Rp 7,356

82.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.80 Rp 50.4K

6.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$4.02 Rp 72.3K

-4.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

43.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

103.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.85 Rp 15.3K

37.65%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.36 Rp 24.4K

78.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

78.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$2.66 Rp 47.7K

63.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$4.82 Rp 86.7K

148.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.38 Rp 42.7K

56.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$2.26 Rp 40.6K

-27.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$2.18 Rp 39.2K

25.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

103.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

90.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$2.16 Rp 38.8K

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

-27.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.40 Rp 7,100

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$2.65 Rp 47.7K

24.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$13.68 Rp 245.8K

69.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.97 Rp 35.5K

41.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.64 Rp 47.4K

3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.47 Rp 8,417

-42.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$16.91 Rp 303.8K

-52.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.26 Rp 22.6K

-61.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.65 Rp 11.7K

-35.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$3.72 Rp 66.9K

67.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

-2.41%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$29.7K Rp 533.1M

-10.30%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$19.2K Rp 344.2M

68.08%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

0.75%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$3.96 Rp 71.2K

2.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$25.92 Rp 465.8K

-6.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$30.33 Rp 545.1K

225.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$8.04 Rp 144.6K

-21.14%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$3.08 Rp 55.4K

29.55%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$93.3 Rp 1.7M

227.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$3,643 Rp 65.5M

82.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$35.31 Rp 634.6K

53.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$20.55 Rp 369.3K

83.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$72.4 Rp 1.3M

19.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$26.40 Rp 474.4K

189.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$294 Rp 5.3M

237.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$166 Rp 3.0M

304.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$890 Rp 16.0M

279.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$560 Rp 10.1M

266.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$550 Rp 9.9M

409.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$334 Rp 6.0M

-49.99%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Batam: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $294 in Batam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Batam pays 100% 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 $9.00 in Batam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $185 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 113% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 100% 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $294 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 109% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $93.3 in Batam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $660 in Batam versus $1,408 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 113% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.