Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Buff Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Buff Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $855 in Buff Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,404 in Buff Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,952 in Buff Bay, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 65% more than Buff Bay, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Buff Bay is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$7.31 JMD 1,154

-52.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$62.7 JMD 9,894

-48.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$5.15 JMD 813

-6.02%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$4.39 JMD 692

-37.36%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.77 JMD 121

79.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.61 JMD 95.9

22.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.90 JMD 300

57.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$3.15 JMD 498

22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$4.29 JMD 678

-59.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$3.49 JMD 551

-29.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.63 JMD 257

-28.22%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$3.44 JMD 543

-29.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$11.00 JMD 1,735

31.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$6.50 JMD 1,026

-33.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$7.76 JMD 1,224

54.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$5.93 JMD 936

-37.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$3.16 JMD 498

-48.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$4.12 JMD 649

-33.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$2.99 JMD 472

-25.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$2.11 JMD 333

-9.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.95 JMD 308

16.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$3.12 JMD 492

-66.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$1.44 JMD 227

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$8.95 JMD 1,412

-63.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$11.18 JMD 1,765

107.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.78 JMD 439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$3.10 JMD 488

-11.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.12 JMD 176

-57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$3.09 JMD 488

-86.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$6.08 JMD 959

2.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.25 JMD 197

-35.20%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$42.1K JMD 6.6M

-36.73%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$33.4K JMD 5.3M

-3.75%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$162 JMD 25.5K

-51.54%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$22.43 JMD 3,540

-81.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$50.5 JMD 7,969

-51.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$13.35 JMD 2,107

-70.11%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$225 JMD 35.5K

35.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$2,461 JMD 388.4K

169.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$26.23 JMD 4,139

106.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$25.98 JMD 4,099

45.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$69.6 JMD 11.0K

24.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$75.7 JMD 11.9K

0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Buff Bay: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $63.0 in Buff Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $349 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Buff Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $855 in Buff Bay – roughly 65% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,283 in Buff Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $855 in Buff Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Ubud, Bali and $225 in Buff Bay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Buff Bay, where all-in costs run around $855, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Buff Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $855 in Buff Bay to $1,408 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 Buff Bay. 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.