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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $697 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,101 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,505 in Cahul.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 104% more expensive than Cahul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Cahul is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$8.63 MDL 148

-58.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$36.47 MDL 627

-10.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$7.53 MDL 129

-34.26%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.88 MDL 32.31

44.15%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.98 MDL 16.93

36.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.68 MDL 11.73

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$1.78 MDL 30.60

64.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$2.32 MDL 39.87

70.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.29 MDL 22.13

40.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.52 MDL 8.96

384.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.45 MDL 24.88

-20.00%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.59 MDL 44.56

-5.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$10.47 MDL 180

40.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$5.54 MDL 95.3

-22.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$9.04 MDL 155

34.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$0.90 MDL 15.55

326.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.82 MDL 31.30

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.73 MDL 29.66

63.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$2.14 MDL 36.73

8.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.83 MDL 14.20

130.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.59 MDL 10.12

272.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.35 MDL 23.25

-25.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.82 MDL 14.05

-4.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$3.15 MDL 54.1

5.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$4.75 MDL 81.7

399.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.26 MDL 21.62

121.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$1.98 MDL 34.10

44.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$2.08 MDL 35.83

-77.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.27 MDL 4.67

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$5.21 MDL 89.5

17.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.41 MDL 24.32

-43.97%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$31.7K MDL 544.5K

-17.45%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$31.3K MDL 538.5K

2.52%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$173 MDL 2,969

-53.71%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$7.41 MDL 127

-45.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$10.80 MDL 186

117.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$7.49 MDL 129

-44.59%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$384 MDL 6,606

-20.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$7,544 MDL 129.7K

-12.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$65.6 MDL 1,128

-15.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$54.5 MDL 937

-29.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$115 MDL 1,972

-22.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$123 MDL 2,113

-36.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$523 MDL 8,999

-68.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.24

43.72%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cahul: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Cahul pays 217% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $36.00 in Cahul. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $192, with Cahul cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cahul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 104% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cahul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Cahul earns 217% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $697 in Cahul – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $697 in Cahul versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $697 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cahul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Cahul 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 Cahul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.