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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $971 in Benares, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,588 in Benares, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,206 in Benares, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 48% more than Benares, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Benares is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$6.66 MUR 312

-46.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$43.77 MUR 2,048

-25.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$6.43 MUR 301

-21.15%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.53 MUR 119

11.86%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.95 MUR 44.26

41.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.59 MUR 27.77

16.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.08 MUR 97.3

43.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.77 MUR 130

38.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.45 MUR 67.8

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.69 MUR 32.34

268.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.32 MUR 61.5

-9.85%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.25 MUR 105

8.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$10.05 MUR 470

45.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$6.08 MUR 284

-31.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$10.29 MUR 481

16.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$1.99 MUR 93.2

85.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.91 MUR 89.3

-15.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.50 MUR 70.1

79.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$2.65 MUR 124

-12.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.98 MUR 45.75

94.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.93 MUR 43.67

135.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.80 MUR 37.48

32.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.57 MUR 26.81

26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$6.12 MUR 286

-48.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$8.43 MUR 394

178.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.74 MUR 81.3

57.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.12 MUR 99.4

35.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$1.05 MUR 49.12

-72.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$4.42 MUR 207

-89.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$2.66 MUR 124

-84.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$15.14 MUR 709

-59.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.39 MUR 65.2

-39.57%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$35.7K MUR 1.7M

-26.51%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$29.3K MUR 1.4M

11.01%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$49.48 MUR 2,315

58.49%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$18.40 MUR 861

-78.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$32.71 MUR 1,531

-25.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$38.61 MUR 1,807

150.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$5.98 MUR 280

-32.44%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$154 MUR 7,220

96.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$3,949 MUR 184.8K

65.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$49.70 MUR 2,325

8.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$43.89 MUR 2,053

-13.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$82.2 MUR 3,846

5.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$78.0 MUR 3,647

1.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$521 MUR 24.4K

94.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$357 MUR 16.7K

89.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$936 MUR 43.8K

262.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$711 MUR 33.3K

194.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.25

112.48%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Benares: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $521 in Benares. 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $44.00 in Benares. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $212 in Benares – so Benares wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Benares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, $971 in Benares – roughly 48% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,456 in Benares. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $44.00 in Benares. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 Benares, where all-in costs run around $971, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In Benares it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Benares has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $971 in Benares to $1,438 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 Benares. 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.