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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $770 in Changsha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,221 in Changsha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,673 in Changsha.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 87% more expensive than Changsha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Changsha is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$2.87 ¥19.63

24.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$20.69 ¥142

57.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$4.91 ¥33.62

3.26%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.96 ¥20.26

-4.39%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.46 ¥3.16

191.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.25 ¥1.71

176.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.09 ¥7.45

174.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$1.86 ¥12.74

106.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.93 ¥13.25

-9.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$2.24 ¥15.35

13.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.91 ¥6.25

30.77%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.61 ¥11.06

50.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$15.92 ¥109

-7.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$3.20 ¥21.94

30.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$8.89 ¥60.9

34.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$1.84 ¥12.61

100.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.34 ¥9.16

20.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.78 ¥12.19

51.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.82 ¥12.43

28.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.89 ¥6.07

114.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.46 ¥9.98

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.48 ¥3.26

120.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.40 ¥2.73

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$2.83 ¥19.38

10.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$12.37 ¥84.8

89.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$0.89 ¥6.09

207.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$1.43 ¥9.83

101.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.37 ¥2.50

-21.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$14.21 ¥97.3

-42.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.24 ¥8.49

-63.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.26 ¥1.78

61.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$8.13 ¥55.7

-24.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.18 ¥8.10

-28.81%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$20.7K ¥142.1K

26.51%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$21.9K ¥149.9K

48.43%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$42.83 ¥293

83.10%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$12.61 ¥86.4

-68.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$14.52 ¥99.5

68.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$57.1 ¥391

69.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$23.08 ¥158

-72.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$5.95 ¥40.75

-32.10%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$313 ¥2,144

-3.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$7,239 ¥49.6K

-9.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$84.7 ¥580

-36.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$31.31 ¥214

21.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$82.1 ¥563

5.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$69.3 ¥475

13.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$208 ¥1,424

386.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$171 ¥1,170

294.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$506 ¥3,463

570.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$366 ¥2,504

473.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$2,503 ¥17.1K

19.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$1,325 ¥9,073

76.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$1,094 ¥7,496

-84.18%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Changsha: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $208 in Changsha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changsha pays 532% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $21.00 in Changsha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 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 87% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $770 including rent). Changsha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Changsha earns 532% 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $208 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $770 in Changsha – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $770 in Changsha versus $1,438 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 87% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.