Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Binjai

For one person, living is cheaper in Binjai: $638 a month against $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Binjai, Indonesia
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,349
/mo nomad
Binjai
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$638
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Binjai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Binjai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,349 in Ubud, Bali versus $638 in Binjai.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,349
  • Binjai $638

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,305 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,029 in Binjai.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,305
  • Binjai $1,029

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,261 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,421 in Binjai.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,261
  • Binjai $1,421

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 112% more expensive than in Binjai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Binjai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.32 Rp 60.4K
$1.80 Rp 32.7K
84.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.64 Rp 647.8K
$15.06 Rp 273.7K
136.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.53 Rp 100.6K
$2.81 Rp 51.1K
96.80%
Cappuccino
$2.72 Rp 49.4K
$1.33 Rp 24.2K
104.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 Rp 30.9K
$0.48 Rp 8,725
254.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 Rp 13.8K
$0.20 Rp 3,646
280.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 48.2K
$2.49 Rp 45.2K
6.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 Rp 79.6K
$3.12 Rp 56.7K
40.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Binjai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 Rp 27.1K
$1.04 Rp 18.9K
43.27%
White Bread (500g)
$2.28 Rp 41.4K
$0.94 Rp 17.0K
142.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 Rp 21.6K
$0.80 Rp 14.6K
48.75%
Eggs
$2.04 Rp 37.0K
$1.25 Rp 22.7K
63.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.70 Rp 321.7K
$6.22 Rp 113.1K
184.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.96 Rp 72.0K
$3.15 Rp 57.2K
25.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.19 Rp 221.6K
$7.48 Rp 136.0K
62.97%
Apples (1kg)
$3.66 Rp 66.4K
$2.43 Rp 44.2K
50.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 Rp 27.6K
$1.30 Rp 23.7K
16.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.5K
$1.77 Rp 32.2K
25.99%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.9K
$1.25 Rp 22.7K
57.60%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 Rp 33.6K
$1.40 Rp 25.5K
32.14%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 Rp 44.1K
$1.96 Rp 35.6K
23.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 18.0K
$0.81 Rp 14.7K
22.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 Rp 9,332
$0.39 Rp 6,999
30.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.22 Rp 40.4K
$2.43 Rp 44.2K
-8.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.24 Rp 404.2K
$21.59 Rp 392.4K
3.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 Rp 41.1K
$2.01 Rp 36.6K
12.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 54.0K
$3.20 Rp 58.1K
-7.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Binjai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,562
$0.21 Rp 3,857
19.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.82 Rp 142.2K
$10.00 Rp 181.7K
-21.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,989
$0.47 Rp 8,527
-6.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,817
$0.36 Rp 6,525
19.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 Rp 98.3K
$3.18 Rp 57.7K
70.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 Rp 15.0K
$0.94 Rp 17.0K
-12.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.8K Rp 433.3M
$20.3K Rp 369.8M
17.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 577.0M
$30.1K Rp 547.2M
5.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Binjai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
$68.7 Rp 1.2M
15.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 117.2K
$3.91 Rp 71.0K
64.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.58 Rp 337.7K
$18.11 Rp 329.1K
2.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Binjai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.48 Rp 899.4K
$20.19 Rp 367.0K
145.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.65 Rp 320.8K
$8.73 Rp 158.7K
102.18%
Cinema Ticket
$4.27 Rp 77.7K
$2.88 Rp 52.4K
48.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Binjai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$491 Rp 8.9M
$105 Rp 1.9M
368.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,674 Rp 103.1M
$8,060 Rp 146.5M
-29.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Binjai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.64 Rp 811.4K
$42.93 Rp 780.3K
3.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.95 Rp 635.3K
$27.03 Rp 491.3K
29.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 Rp 1.5M
$84.1 Rp 1.5M
-4.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
$62.7 Rp 1.1M
26.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Binjai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,125 Rp 20.4M
$204 Rp 3.7M
452.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$671 Rp 12.2M
$156 Rp 2.8M
329.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,565 Rp 64.8M
$495 Rp 9.0M
620.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,723 Rp 31.3M
$411 Rp 7.5M
319.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,732 Rp 49.6M
$1,207 Rp 21.9M
126.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,284 Rp 41.5M
$752 Rp 13.7M
203.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Binjai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$164 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
9.46
45.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Last update for Binjai: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$672
Binjai
$156 76.7% $515
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$288
Binjai
$194 32.8% $95
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$108
Binjai
$60 44.1% $47
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
Binjai
$98 9.3% $10
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$104
Binjai
$91 12.9% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$58
Binjai
$26 55.3% $32
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$11
Binjai
$13 14.8% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,125 in Ubud, Bali and $204 in Binjai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36 in Ubud, Bali vs $15 in Binjai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $194 per month, with Binjai cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Binjai
🕒 Local time
05:20 5:20 AM
04:20 4:20 AM
1 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
267,901
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18,175 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20,233 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Binjai 2,300 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Binjai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Binjai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Binjai cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Binjai is about 53% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $2,023 in Ubud, Bali and $956 in Binjai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Ubud, Bali and Binjai?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,125 in Ubud, Bali versus $204 in Binjai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Ubud, Bali and in Binjai?
All in, you’ll spend $1,349 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $638 in Binjai – Binjai is about 53% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 22% less than in Binjai. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Ubud, Bali or in Binjai?
At $638 in Binjai versus $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Binjai but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Binjai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Ubud, Bali or in Binjai?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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