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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $696 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,085 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,474 in Cahul.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 102% more expensive than in Cahul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Cahul is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$8.58 MDL 149

-59.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$36.74 MDL 640

-11.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$7.66 MDL 133

-36.81%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.82 MDL 31.67

51.10%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.93 MDL 16.28

48.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.64 MDL 11.11

17.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.73 MDL 30.10

72.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.28 MDL 39.69

68.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.28 MDL 22.30

35.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.55 MDL 9.61

347.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.50 MDL 26.04

-22.00%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.51 MDL 43.73

-3.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$10.43 MDL 182

39.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$5.50 MDL 95.8

-20.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$8.94 MDL 156

34.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$0.90 MDL 15.70

313.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.74 MDL 30.27

-6.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.77 MDL 30.74

54.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$2.10 MDL 36.56

6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.77 MDL 13.46

149.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.55 MDL 9.54

314.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.36 MDL 23.65

-22.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.84 MDL 14.66

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$3.28 MDL 57.1

0.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$4.57 MDL 79.6

407.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.22 MDL 21.28

127.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.98 MDL 34.44

37.88%

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

$2.02 MDL 35.24

-76.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.27 MDL 4.72

55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$5.30 MDL 92.3

17.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.43 MDL 24.83

-43.36%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$32.2K MDL 560.5K

-17.33%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$31.5K MDL 547.9K

2.30%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$169 MDL 2,949

-53.73%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$7.74 MDL 135

-47.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$10.68 MDL 186

127.81%

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

$7.58 MDL 132

-47.36%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$394 MDL 6,860

-22.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$7,562 MDL 131.7K

-12.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$65.3 MDL 1,138

-17.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$54.4 MDL 947

-30.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$114 MDL 1,993

-24.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$121 MDL 2,107

-36.90%

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

$514 MDL 8,943

-67.49%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Cahul: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Cahul pays 208% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $37.00 in Cahul. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $191, 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 102% 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 208% 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 56% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $696 in Cahul – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $696 in Cahul versus $1,408 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 $696 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 102% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.