Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Cha-am Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Cha-am

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $910 in Cha-am.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,464 in Cha-am.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,018 in Cha-am.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 51% more expensive than in Cha-am, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Cha-am is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.14 ฿104

6.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$21.86 ฿722

63.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$7.43 ฿246

-24.23%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.10 ฿69.3

34.29%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.70 ฿23.15

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.32 ฿10.74

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$2.40 ฿79.1

26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.97 ฿98.3

44.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.75 ฿57.7

-8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.50 ฿49.68

51.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.42 ฿46.88

-17.61%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.88 ฿62.3

15.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$12.57 ฿415

40.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$2.65 ฿87.5

52.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$10.51 ฿347

15.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$3.59 ฿119

0.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.25 ฿41.24

31.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.92 ฿63.4

20.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.87 ฿61.7

4.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.79 ฿59.3

2.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.07 ฿35.46

121.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.19 ฿39.16

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.43 ฿14.11

25.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$4.39 ฿145

-47.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$18.15 ฿600

27.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.71 ฿56.6

36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$3.08 ฿102

-0.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.89 ฿29.48

-71.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$22.37 ฿739

-57.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.41 ฿46.46

-65.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$1.15 ฿37.88

-59.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$3.62 ฿120

54.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.41 ฿46.47

-42.55%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$16.8K ฿556.3K

48.54%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$27.2K ฿899.9K

14.06%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$84.2 ฿2,782

-1.77%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$11.67 ฿386

-44.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$23.03 ฿761

-18.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$23.92 ฿790

130.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$6.15 ฿203

196.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$6.65 ฿220

-35.34%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$637 ฿21.1K

-22.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$10.9K ฿360.6K

-45.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$52.1 ฿1,722

-11.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$29.55 ฿976

23.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$72.2 ฿2,387

11.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$55.2 ฿1,825

42.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$387 ฿12.8K

188.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$276 ฿9,128

150.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$754 ฿24.9K

382.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$660 ฿21.8K

159.30%

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

$371 ฿12.3K

-54.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.96

131.21%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cha-am: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $387 in Cha-am. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cha-am pays 122% 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 $22.00 in Cha-am for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $239 per month, with Cha-am 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 Cha-am: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Cha-am differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $910 including rent). Cha-am is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 122% lower in Cha-am. 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $387 in Cha-am. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $910 in Cha-am – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cha-am runs roughly 137% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $910 in Cha-am versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cha-am but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Cha-am the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Cha-am 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 Cha-am gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.