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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,082 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,312 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,855 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,276 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,627 in Cambridge.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 35% less than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 1% above, Cambridge 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 59.7K

$14.02 NZ$24.93

-76.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.42 Rp 634.2K

$66.4 NZ$118

-46.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 Rp 103.1K

$8.76 NZ$15.57

-34.25%

Cappuccino

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

$3.40 NZ$6.05

-22.65%

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

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$2.00 NZ$3.55

-13.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$1.92 NZ$3.41

-59.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$6.01 NZ$10.68

-54.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.9K

$6.68 NZ$11.87

-32.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$1.58 NZ$2.80

-3.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$2.23 NZ$3.97

-1.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

$1.81 NZ$3.22

-32.60%

Eggs

$2.14 Rp 38.3K

$6.22 NZ$11.05

-65.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.73 Rp 317.5K

$8.64 NZ$15.36

105.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 Rp 69.0K

$9.43 NZ$16.76

-59.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 Rp 215.3K

$12.74 NZ$22.65

-5.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 Rp 64.6K

$2.55 NZ$4.53

41.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

$2.19 NZ$3.90

-31.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.5K

$2.91 NZ$5.17

-20.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.9K

$5.74 NZ$10.20

-65.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$2.15 NZ$3.83

-15.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.7K

$1.51 NZ$2.69

58.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

$2.28 NZ$4.05

-56.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,389

$1.09 NZ$1.94

-52.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 Rp 39.1K

$25.82 NZ$45.91

-91.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.98 Rp 411.4K

$10.13 NZ$18.02

126.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 Rp 42.9K

$3.40 NZ$6.04

-29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

$3.81 NZ$6.77

-21.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,262

$2.72 NZ$4.83

-91.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.99 Rp 125.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,889

$2.21 NZ$3.93

-80.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,595

$2.02 NZ$3.58

-79.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 Rp 97.6K

$32.15 NZ$57.2

-83.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

$1.67 NZ$2.97

-49.70%

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

$24.3K Rp 435.6M

$25.2K NZ$44.8K

-3.43%

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

$31.9K Rp 571.0M

$22.2K NZ$39.5K

43.56%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$100 NZ$178

-19.30%

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

$6.58 Rp 117.8K

$26.80 NZ$47.65

-75.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.24 Rp 326.6K

$50.0 NZ$89.0

-63.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 Rp 987.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.51 Rp 331.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 76.0K

$14.00 NZ$24.88

-69.71%

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

$486 Rp 8.7M

$665 NZ$1,183

-27.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,676 Rp 101.6M

$19.4K NZ$34.4K

-70.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.18 Rp 809.0K

$62.6 NZ$111

-27.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 Rp 619.0K

$37.22 NZ$66.2

-7.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 Rp 1.4M

$94.6 NZ$168

-16.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 Rp 1.4M

$103 NZ$184

-24.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 Rp 20.2M

$573 NZ$1,019

96.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 12.1M

$1,107 NZ$1,967

-39.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,618 Rp 64.8M

$1,197 NZ$2,128

202.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 Rp 31.1M

$1,449 NZ$2,577

19.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.7M

$4,500 NZ$8,001

-37.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,307 Rp 41.3M

$3,934 NZ$6,995

-41.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 Rp 3.0M

$2,567 NZ$4,564

-93.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

129.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 5, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,127 in Ubud, Bali and $573 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 1449% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $66.0 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $324 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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 Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1449% lower in Cambridge. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,127 in Ubud, Bali versus $573 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $486 in Ubud, Bali versus $665 in Cambridge. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $66.0 in Cambridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,082 in Cambridge, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Cambridge 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.