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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $760 in Changsha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,238 in Changsha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,717 in Changsha.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 83% more expensive than in Changsha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Changsha is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.6K

$2.86 ¥19.33

18.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 577.1K

$20.63 ¥140

56.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 89.1K

$5.01 ¥33.90

-0.20%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.3K

$3.00 ¥20.31

-6.00%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

$0.46 ¥3.11

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.27 ¥1.84

170.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

$1.12 ¥7.59

166.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.8K

$1.83 ¥12.39

116.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.0K

$1.92 ¥12.98

-6.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.34 ¥15.86

5.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$0.93 ¥6.32

29.03%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.6K

$1.62 ¥10.97

47.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 256.6K

$15.55 ¥105

-7.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 76.4K

$3.10 ¥20.98

38.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 210.6K

$9.26 ¥62.7

27.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.4K

$1.83 ¥12.37

106.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$1.29 ¥8.73

26.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.9K

$1.70 ¥11.50

64.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.3K

$1.89 ¥12.77

19.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.6K

$0.88 ¥5.96

127.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.4K

$1.53 ¥10.35

44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

$0.48 ¥3.24

122.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.43 ¥2.90

76.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.7K

$2.84 ¥19.19

10.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 424.4K

$12.21 ¥82.7

95.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.6K

$0.91 ¥6.14

212.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.5K

$1.42 ¥9.60

95.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,755

$0.36 ¥2.44

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 149.1K

$14.12 ¥95.6

-40.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,082

$1.24 ¥8.39

-63.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,624

$0.28 ¥1.91

53.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 106.5K

$8.11 ¥54.9

-26.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.17 ¥7.90

-31.62%

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

$25.8K Rp 459.9M

$20.5K ¥139.1K

25.60%

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

$31.8K Rp 566.8M

$21.6K ¥145.9K

47.52%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$44.15 ¥299

82.88%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.7K

$12.16 ¥82.3

-65.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 429.8K

$14.49 ¥98.1

66.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$58.5 ¥396

67.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 118.4K

$22.45 ¥152

-70.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.9K

$6.05 ¥40.97

-33.22%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$315 ¥2,134

-5.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 117.4M

$7,488 ¥50.7K

-12.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 982.6K

$83.7 ¥567

-34.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 686.2K

$30.94 ¥209

24.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$82.2 ¥557

4.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$70.8 ¥479

10.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.6M

$203 ¥1,371

386.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$172 ¥1,162

287.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.4M

$521 ¥3,527

561.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.4M

$356 ¥2,412

472.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.4M

$2,552 ¥17.3K

10.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.7M

$1,404 ¥9,500

62.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$1,075 ¥7,278

-84.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

3.89

241.39%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for Changsha: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Ubud, Bali and $203 in Changsha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changsha pays 535% 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 $21.00 in Changsha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $220 per month, with Changsha 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 Changsha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Changsha differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($1,394 vs $760 including rent). Changsha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 535% lower in Changsha. 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: $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $203 in Changsha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Changsha – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $760 in Changsha – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $760 in Changsha versus $1,394 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Changsha but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Changsha 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 Changsha 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 Changsha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.