Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Buon Ma Thuot

For one person, living is cheaper in Buon Ma Thuot: $792 a month against $1,331 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Buon Ma Thuot, Vietnam
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,331
/mo nomad
Buon Ma Thuot
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$792
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Buon Ma Thuot

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 Buon Ma Thuot actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,331 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $792 in Buon Ma Thuot, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,331
  • Buon Ma Thuot $792

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,182 in Buon Ma Thuot, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,255
  • Buon Ma Thuot $1,182

A family of three spends $3,180 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,572 in Buon Ma Thuot, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,180
  • Buon Ma Thuot $1,572

Ubud, Bali costs about 68% more than Buon Ma Thuot, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ubud, Bali and Buon Ma Thuot are more affordable than the global median – Ubud, Bali 2% lower, Buon Ma Thuot 41% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Buon Ma Thuot
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.38 Rp 61.3K
$2.08 ₫53.6K
62.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.65 Rp 629.1K
$11.47 ₫295.4K
202.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.57 Rp 101.2K
$4.16 ₫107.1K
33.89%
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.6K
$1.01 ₫26.1K
159.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
$0.34 ₫8,697
352.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 Rp 11.6K
$0.38 ₫9,775
68.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.67 Rp 48.4K
$1.23 ₫31.6K
117.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.26 Rp 77.4K
$1.29 ₫33.3K
230.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Buon Ma Thuot
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 Rp 26.5K
$1.68 ₫43.2K
-13.10%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 Rp 41.6K
$0.99 ₫25.5K
131.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.11 Rp 20.1K
$0.75 ₫19.4K
48.00%
Eggs
$2.10 Rp 38.1K
$1.47 ₫37.9K
42.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.94 Rp 289.4K
$13.38 ₫344.7K
19.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.88 Rp 70.5K
$3.45 ₫88.8K
12.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.40 Rp 207.0K
$10.41 ₫268.2K
9.51%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 Rp 64.5K
$3.26 ₫84.0K
8.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
$1.11 ₫28.5K
38.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.5K
$1.30 ₫33.5K
71.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.8K
$1.13 ₫29.0K
74.34%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 Rp 33.7K
$1.01 ₫25.9K
84.16%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 Rp 43.9K
$1.05 ₫27.0K
130.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 Rp 18.6K
$0.55 ₫14.0K
85.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 Rp 9,483
$0.56 ₫14.5K
-7.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.20 Rp 39.9K
$1.60 ₫41.2K
37.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.79 Rp 395.6K
$8.50 ₫219.0K
156.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.33 Rp 42.2K
$0.77 ₫19.7K
202.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 53.9K
$1.61 ₫41.4K
84.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Buon Ma Thuot
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,546
$0.32 ₫8,288
-21.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.17 Rp 148.4K
$6.08 ₫156.6K
34.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,947
$0.76 ₫19.5K
-42.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 Rp 8,496
$0.51 ₫13.2K
-7.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.60 Rp 101.7K
$2.54 ₫65.3K
120.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
$0.99 ₫25.5K
-16.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4K Rp 443.8M
$33.3K ₫857.2M
-26.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 575.5M
$28.7K ₫738.1M
10.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Buon Ma Thuot
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.5 Rp 1.4M
$77.0 ₫2.0M
0.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.14 Rp 111.6K
$5.60 ₫144.3K
9.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.92 Rp 343.4K
$9.78 ₫251.9K
93.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Buon Ma Thuot
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 Rp 925.8K
$22.61 ₫582.5K
125.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.25 Rp 331.3K
$8.52 ₫219.6K
114.20%
Cinema Ticket
$4.38 Rp 79.6K
$3.12 ₫80.3K
40.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Buon Ma Thuot
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$492 Rp 8.9M
$351 ₫9.1M
40.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.2K Rp 221.9M
$15.6K ₫403.1M
-21.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Buon Ma Thuot
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.16 Rp 819.9K
$48.54 ₫1.3M
-6.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.89 Rp 633.4K
$29.52 ₫760.4K
18.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.3 Rp 1.4M
$85.1 ₫2.2M
-7.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
$69.6 ₫1.8M
11.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Buon Ma Thuot
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 Rp 19.6M
$439 ₫11.3M
145.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$665 Rp 12.1M
$307 ₫7.9M
116.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,510 Rp 63.7M
$646 ₫16.7M
443.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,671 Rp 30.3M
$536 ₫13.8M
211.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,340 Rp 42.5M
$2,137 ₫55.1M
9.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,236 Rp 40.6M
$1,304 ₫33.6M
71.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Buon Ma Thuot
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
8.17
68.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: November 1, 2026

Last update for Buon Ma Thuot: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$665
Buon Ma Thuot
$307 53.9% $358
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$279
Buon Ma Thuot
$196 29.9% $83
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$106
Buon Ma Thuot
$105 1.5% $1.6
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
Buon Ma Thuot
$53 50% $53
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$103
Buon Ma Thuot
$92 9.9% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$60
Buon Ma Thuot
$29 51.7% $31
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
Buon Ma Thuot
$11 10.6% $1.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,078 in Ubud, Bali versus $439 in Buon Ma Thuot. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35 in Ubud, Bali versus $11 in Buon Ma Thuot. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 vs $196 – making Buon Ma Thuot the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇻🇳 Buon Ma Thuot
🕒 Local time
06:03 6:03 AM
05:03 5:03 AM
1 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
245,951
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

VND, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18,155 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,438 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.89 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 25,761 VND (100,000 VND = 3.88 USD). 1 EUR = 29,000 VND (100,000 VND = 3.45 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Buon Ma Thuot 2,490 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Buon Ma Thuot

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 Buon Ma Thuot: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Ubud, Bali and in Buon Ma Thuot compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,331 in Ubud, Bali, $792 in Buon Ma Thuot – Buon Ma Thuot comes out roughly 40% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Ubud, Bali compared to Buon Ma Thuot?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,996 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,188 in Buon Ma Thuot. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Ubud, Bali and Buon Ma Thuot?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Buon Ma Thuot, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $439 there versus $1,078 in Ubud, Bali.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $35 in Ubud, Bali and $11 in Buon Ma Thuot. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ubud, Bali or Buon Ma Thuot?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,331 in Ubud, Bali and $792 in Buon Ma Thuot. That makes Buon Ma Thuot about 40% cheaper.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Buon Ma Thuot, where all-in costs run around $792, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,331. In Buon Ma Thuot it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Ubud, Bali or Buon Ma Thuot?
Families tend to lean toward Buon Ma Thuot – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Ubud, Bali or Buon Ma Thuot safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Where should expats move: Ubud, Bali or Buon Ma Thuot?
For expats, Buon Ma Thuot is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 40% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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