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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $661 in Binjai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,026 in Binjai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,391 in Binjai.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 115% more expensive than Binjai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Binjai is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

134.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$12.32 Rp 220.0K

165.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$3.41 Rp 60.9K

45.16%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.72 Rp 30.7K

57.56%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.56 Rp 9,933

139.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.26 Rp 4,583

169.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.41 Rp 43.0K

21.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$3.43 Rp 61.2K

15.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

48.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

117.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.88 Rp 15.7K

31.82%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

54.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$8.25 Rp 147.2K

78.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$3.11 Rp 55.5K

38.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$7.97 Rp 142.3K

52.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.41 Rp 43.0K

59.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.49 Rp 26.5K

4.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.82 Rp 32.5K

55.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

49.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

38.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.88 Rp 33.5K

17.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.95 Rp 16.9K

6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.45 Rp 7,991

73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$2.44 Rp 43.6K

36.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$20.68 Rp 369.2K

14.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$2.11 Rp 37.7K

32.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$3.06 Rp 54.7K

-6.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.30 Rp 5,280

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$9.91 Rp 177.0K

-18.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$0.53 Rp 9,450

-13.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.37 Rp 6,622

21.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$2.97 Rp 53.0K

105.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

2.60%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$24.1K Rp 430.1M

8.58%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$27.4K Rp 489.1M

17.26%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$69.8 Rp 1.2M

14.53%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$4.42 Rp 79.0K

-8.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$22.41 Rp 400.3K

4.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$23.09 Rp 412.3K

327.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$6.31 Rp 112.6K

5.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$3.13 Rp 55.9K

32.59%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$92.6 Rp 1.7M

228.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$7,560 Rp 135.0M

-12.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$41.76 Rp 745.8K

33.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$30.79 Rp 549.8K

24.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$66.2 Rp 1.2M

33.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$73.0 Rp 1.3M

6.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$257 Rp 4.6M

291.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$155 Rp 2.8M

334.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$580 Rp 10.4M

493.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$329 Rp 5.9M

519.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$1,156 Rp 20.6M

145.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$629 Rp 11.2M

259.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.15

45.14%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Binjai: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $257 in Binjai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $12.00 in Binjai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $209 per month, with Binjai 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 Binjai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Binjai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 115% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,129 in Ubud, Bali and $991 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $257 in Binjai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $661 in Binjai – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Binjai runs roughly 23% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $661 in Binjai versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 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.

For families, Binjai 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 Binjai 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 Binjai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.