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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $728 in Buon Ma Thuot, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,084 in Buon Ma Thuot, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,440 in Buon Ma Thuot, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 93% more than Buon Ma Thuot, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Buon Ma Thuot is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$1.97 ₫51.6K

81.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$11.36 ₫298.1K

186.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$4.44 ₫116.4K

9.46%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$1.04 ₫27.3K

164.42%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.34 ₫8,831

288.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.30 ₫7,977

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$1.24 ₫32.5K

134.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$1.29 ₫33.8K

193.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.36 ₫35.7K

25.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.98 ₫25.7K

152.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.01 ₫26.4K

18.81%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.48 ₫38.9K

64.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$11.60 ₫304.5K

23.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$3.67 ₫96.3K

17.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$9.72 ₫255.2K

25.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.79 ₫73.2K

31.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.02 ₫26.8K

51.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.35 ₫35.3K

106.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.08 ₫28.3K

115.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.07 ₫28.2K

84.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.02 ₫26.8K

126.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.59 ₫15.5K

79.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.49 ₫12.7K

48.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$1.36 ₫35.8K

141.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$9.13 ₫239.6K

149.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$0.73 ₫19.2K

284.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.59 ₫41.8K

74.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.32 ₫8,376

-9.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$6.42 ₫168.4K

25.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.79 ₫20.7K

-43.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.62 ₫16.3K

-27.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$2.74 ₫71.9K

127.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$0.85 ₫22.4K

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$35.3K ₫926.6M

-26.40%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$31.7K ₫833.0M

-0.24%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$75.0 ₫2.0M

7.64%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$5.77 ₫151.6K

-29.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$8.50 ₫223.0K

187.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$21.56 ₫566.0K

353.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$7.53 ₫197.6K

-14.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$3.15 ₫82.7K

28.25%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$267 ₫7.0M

13.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$11.6K ₫305.1M

-43.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$41.43 ₫1.1M

30.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$23.43 ₫615.1K

65.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$87.8 ₫2.3M

-1.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$73.7 ₫1.9M

4.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$361 ₫9.5M

172.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$247 ₫6.5M

166.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$682 ₫17.9M

393.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$472 ₫12.4M

337.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$4,168 ₫109.4M

-34.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$1,343 ₫35.3M

65.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.1

45.93%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Buon Ma Thuot: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $361 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $11.00 in Buon Ma Thuot. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $185 – making Buon Ma Thuot 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 Buon Ma Thuot: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, $728 in Buon Ma Thuot – roughly 93% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,092 in Buon Ma Thuot. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Buon Ma Thuot, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $11.00 in Buon Ma Thuot. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,404 in Ubud, Bali and $728 in Buon Ma Thuot. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Buon Ma Thuot, where all-in costs run around $728, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. In Buon Ma Thuot 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 $728 in Buon Ma Thuot to $1,404 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 Buon Ma Thuot. 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.