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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $649 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $953 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,258 in Cahul.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 112% more expensive than in Cahul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Cahul is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$8.89 MDL 153

-62.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$23.72 MDL 407

51.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$10.81 MDL 186

-47.92%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$1.69 MDL 29.04

66.86%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$1.15 MDL 19.66

52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.56 MDL 9.66

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$2.00 MDL 34.25

52.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$1.90 MDL 32.59

126.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.32 MDL 22.62

21.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.47 MDL 8.04

382.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.64 MDL 28.21

-28.66%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.25 MDL 38.65

-3.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$7.04 MDL 121

150.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.76 MDL 81.7

-14.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$6.56 MDL 113

85.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$1.02 MDL 17.47

254.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$2.38 MDL 40.90

-31.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.93 MDL 33.04

19.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$2.45 MDL 42.11

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.79 MDL 13.60

132.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.54 MDL 9.24

338.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.44 MDL 7.55

138.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.55 MDL 9.47

-1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$3.38 MDL 58.0

-31.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$4.60 MDL 79.0

401.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.43 MDL 24.55

63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.01 MDL 34.48

52.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$2.88 MDL 49.41

-82.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.25 MDL 4.28

88.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$5.88 MDL 101

-4.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.54 MDL 26.35

-47.40%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$34.3K MDL 588.8K

-27.11%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$25.6K MDL 438.7K

21.53%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$236 MDL 4,050

-64.95%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$8.07 MDL 139

-19.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$11.47 MDL 197

63.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$7.73 MDL 133

-44.37%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$116 MDL 1,998

324.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$5,457 MDL 93.6K

8.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$47.16 MDL 809

-1.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$57.1 MDL 980

41.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$52.5 MDL 901

50.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$528 MDL 9,054

-68.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

72.25%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cahul: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Cahul pays 216% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $24.00 in Cahul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $170 per month, with Cahul 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 Cahul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 112% 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, salaries run 216% lower in Cahul. 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 73% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $649 in Cahul – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $649 in Cahul versus $1,378 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 $649 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 112% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.