Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Cary, NC Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Cary, NC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,940 in Cary, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,386 in Cary, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $5,833 in Cary, NC.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 52% less than in Cary, NC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Cary, NC 119% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$17.88 $17.88

-80.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$97.0 $97.0

-66.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$10.43 $10.43

-52.54%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$4.96 $4.96

-45.36%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$2.00 $2.00

-33.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$1.87 $1.87

-62.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$5.09 $5.09

-42.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$6.69 $6.69

-40.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.11 $1.11

63.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$5.47 $5.47

-53.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$6.28 $6.28

-81.53%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$4.75 $4.75

-48.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$20.23 $20.23

-27.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$12.51 $12.51

-65.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$17.92 $17.92

-32.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$5.52 $5.52

-30.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.77 $1.77

-11.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$4.16 $4.16

-31.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$6.67 $6.67

-65.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$2.50 $2.50

-23.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$3.45 $3.45

-36.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$2.95 $2.95

-65.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.98 $1.98

-60.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$9.36 $9.36

-64.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$9.83 $9.83

141.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$2.41 $2.41

15.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$4.86 $4.86

-41.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$1.81 $1.81

-85.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$59.5 $59.5

-86.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$3.54 $3.54

-87.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$1.59 $1.59

-71.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$28.81 $28.81

-78.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.80 $0.80

-1.25%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$29.3K $29.3K

-10.72%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$29.2K $29.2K

10.15%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$169 $169

-52.71%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$50.3 $50.3

-91.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$62.5 $62.5

-62.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$75.3 $75.3

31.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$13.58 $13.58

-69.44%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$1,491 $1,491

-79.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$23.5K $23.5K

-71.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$48.21 $48.21

15.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$31.94 $31.94

19.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$128 $128

-31.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$136 $136

-42.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$1,765 $1,765

-42.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$1,581 $1,581

-57.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$2,668 $2,668

29.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$2,748 $2,748

-25.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$2,862 $2,862

-0.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$2,652 $2,652

-14.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$5,996 $5,996

-97.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.31

110.46%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cary, NC: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $1,765 in Cary, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cary, NC pays 3528% 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: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $97.0 in Cary, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $467 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 Cary, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cary, NC earns 3528% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,765 in Cary, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,491 in Cary, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Cary, NC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,940 in Cary, NC, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Cary, NC. 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 Cary, NC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Cary, NC 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 107% less than in Cary, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.