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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,402 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,238 in Carolina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,099 in Carolina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,340 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,960 in Carolina.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 37% less than in Carolina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 4% above, Carolina 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.2K

$13.44 $13.44

-74.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.78 Rp 636.8K

$55.9 $55.9

-35.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 Rp 97.3K

$10.02 $10.02

-45.41%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.6K

$3.29 $3.29

-18.84%

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

$1.81 Rp 32.2K

$3.07 $3.07

-41.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.74 $1.74

-54.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 Rp 51.5K

$3.05 $3.05

-5.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 Rp 76.6K

$5.12 $5.12

-15.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 Rp 27.0K

$2.09 $2.09

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 Rp 40.6K

$3.40 $3.40

-32.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.72 $1.72

-32.56%

Eggs

$2.08 Rp 37.0K

$4.71 $4.71

-55.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.53 Rp 312.0K

$7.03 $7.03

149.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 Rp 70.4K

$8.71 $8.71

-54.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.22 Rp 217.4K

$12.39 $12.39

-1.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 Rp 63.2K

$3.09 $3.09

14.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

$2.47 $2.47

-37.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$2.62 $2.62

-11.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.3K

$3.69 $3.69

-47.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 Rp 32.4K

$2.95 $2.95

-38.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.6K

$3.35 $3.35

-28.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$2.09 $2.09

-50.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Rp 9,399

$2.02 $2.02

-73.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$10.06 $10.06

-78.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.44 Rp 399.5K

$17.83 $17.83

25.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 Rp 41.9K

$3.07 $3.07

-23.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.5K

$5.11 $5.11

-41.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,835

$3.07 $3.07

-91.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.04 Rp 160.9K

$39.55 $39.55

-77.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,452

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,275

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.71 Rp 101.7K

$49.48 $49.48

-88.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.12 $1.12

-28.57%

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

$24.0K Rp 426.9M

$40.5K $40.5K

-40.72%

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

$30.9K Rp 550.6M

$29.8K $29.8K

3.84%

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

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

$608 $608

-86.33%

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

$6.48 Rp 115.4K

$50.6 $50.6

-87.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.96 Rp 337.4K

$79.5 $79.5

-76.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 Rp 983.4K

$10.45 $10.45

428.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.30 Rp 325.7K

$29.88 $29.88

-38.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 Rp 80.0K

$8.06 $8.06

-44.29%

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

$492 Rp 8.7M

$499 $499

-1.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,798 Rp 103.2M

$9,476 $9,476

-38.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.22 Rp 822.6K

$88.2 $88.2

-47.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.68 Rp 635.0K

$25.22 $25.22

41.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 Rp 1.4M

$90.1 $90.1

-11.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

$90.2 $90.2

-11.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 Rp 19.9M

$1,077 $1,077

3.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 Rp 12.2M

$760 $760

-9.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,605 Rp 64.2M

$1,959 $1,959

84.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,711 Rp 30.4M

$1,223 $1,223

39.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,734 Rp 48.7M

$3,451 $3,451

-20.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,300 Rp 40.9M

$2,314 $2,314

-0.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 Rp 3.0M

$2,032 $2,032

-91.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.23

121.19%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 22, 2026

Last update for Carolina: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,119 in Ubud, Bali and $1,077 in Carolina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carolina pays 1090% 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: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $56.0 in Carolina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $351 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 Carolina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 60% lower than in Carolina. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1090% lower in Carolina. 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: $1,119 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,077 in Carolina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Carolina. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $56.0 in Carolina. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,402 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,238 in Carolina, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Carolina. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,402 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Carolina 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 60% less than in Carolina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.