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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,189 in Bowral.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,255 in Bowral.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,321 in Bowral.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 36% less than in Bowral, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Bowral 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$14.04 A$20.11

-75.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$95.6 A$137

-66.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$8.59 A$12.30

-43.66%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.63 A$3.77

4.56%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$1.99 A$2.86

-30.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$1.34 A$1.92

-44.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$6.33 A$9.07

-52.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$6.48 A$9.28

-40.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.31 A$1.88

32.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.41 A$3.45

2.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$2.21 A$3.17

-47.06%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$3.86 A$5.53

-37.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$8.96 A$12.84

61.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$7.57 A$10.85

-42.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$14.47 A$20.73

-17.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$3.11 A$4.46

19.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$2.61 A$3.74

-37.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$2.63 A$3.77

4.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$3.77 A$5.40

-40.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$2.73 A$3.91

-29.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$2.20 A$3.16

3.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$2.10 A$3.01

-49.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$1.08 A$1.54

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$28.98 A$41.53

-88.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$14.58 A$20.88

59.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$4.06 A$5.82

-31.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$3.20 A$4.58

-14.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$2.59 A$3.71

-89.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$64.5 A$92.4

-87.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$2.25 A$3.23

-78.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$1.72 A$2.47

-75.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$38.41 A$55.0

-83.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.15 A$1.65

-29.57%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$28.9K A$41.5K

-8.07%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$21.8K A$31.2K

47.67%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$192 A$275

-59.16%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$29.71 A$42.56

-86.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$57.1 A$81.8

-57.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$49.46 A$70.9

99.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$15.91 A$22.80

-60.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$12.93 A$18.52

-69.14%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$899 A$1,288

-66.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$11.8K A$16.9K

-43.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$77.9 A$112

-30.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$44.38 A$63.6

-14.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$92.4 A$132

-6.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$109 A$157

-30.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$1,272 A$1,823

-22.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$1,059 A$1,517

-36.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$2,031 A$2,910

66.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$1,685 A$2,414

21.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$6,540 A$9,370

-57.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$5,127 A$7,346

-56.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$3,159 A$4,527

-94.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.75

96.74%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bowral: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $1,272 in Bowral. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bowral pays 1792% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $96.0 in Bowral for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $320 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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 Bowral: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Bowral differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $2,189 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1792% lower in Bowral. 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 $1,272 in Bowral. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $899 in Bowral. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Bowral. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,189 in Bowral, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Bowral. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Bowral 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Bowral. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.