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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $637 in Binjai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $993 in Binjai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,349 in Binjai.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 116% more expensive than in Binjai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Binjai is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$1.67 Rp 29.4K

99.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$14.14 Rp 249.0K

153.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$3.27 Rp 57.5K

72.17%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$1.51 Rp 26.6K

86.75%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.46 Rp 8,052

280.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.25 Rp 4,410

220.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$2.32 Rp 40.8K

31.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$3.48 Rp 61.3K

23.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.18 Rp 20.8K

36.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.12 Rp 19.7K

102.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$0.82 Rp 14.4K

42.68%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.50 Rp 26.4K

44.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$7.47 Rp 131.6K

136.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$2.95 Rp 52.0K

37.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$7.93 Rp 139.6K

53.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.30 Rp 40.5K

57.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.28 Rp 22.6K

28.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.69 Rp 29.8K

36.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.27 Rp 22.4K

54.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.33 Rp 23.3K

38.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.94 Rp 34.2K

22.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.78 Rp 13.7K

34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.44 Rp 7,713

22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

-13.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$20.74 Rp 365.1K

11.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.92 Rp 33.8K

21.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.95 Rp 52.0K

4.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.27 Rp 4,737

-7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$0.49 Rp 8,651

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.36 Rp 6,276

30.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$2.96 Rp 52.1K

89.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.75 Rp 13.2K

8.00%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$23.1K Rp 406.5M

8.33%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$30.4K Rp 535.3M

2.18%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

21.81%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$4.45 Rp 78.3K

45.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$19.09 Rp 336.0K

-1.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$20.13 Rp 354.4K

174.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$8.32 Rp 146.4K

118.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.81 Rp 49.5K

53.02%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$93.7 Rp 1.7M

427.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$7,955 Rp 140.1M

-25.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$44.45 Rp 782.6K

4.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$29.76 Rp 524.0K

22.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$72.0 Rp 1.3M

12.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$70.6 Rp 1.2M

11.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$225 Rp 4.0M

394.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$155 Rp 2.7M

347.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$559 Rp 9.8M

551.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$373 Rp 6.6M

358.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$1,185 Rp 20.9M

132.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$670 Rp 11.8M

242.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Binjai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $225 in Binjai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $14.00 in Binjai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $199 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,067 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $225 in Binjai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $637 in Binjai – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $637 in Binjai versus $1,378 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 116% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.