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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $768 in Changsha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,267 in Changsha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,765 in Changsha.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 78% more expensive than in Changsha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Changsha is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$2.95 ¥19.79

16.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$22.16 ¥148

63.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$5.01 ¥33.57

13.97%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$3.50 ¥23.46

-23.71%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.47 ¥3.14

272.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.25 ¥1.66

248.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$1.29 ¥8.67

128.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$1.98 ¥13.24

128.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.00 ¥13.38

-19.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.32 ¥15.52

0.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.96 ¥6.42

15.63%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.72 ¥11.52

27.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$13.02 ¥87.2

35.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$3.91 ¥26.17

4.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$11.71 ¥78.4

4.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.82 ¥18.91

31.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.39 ¥9.30

14.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.84 ¥12.33

23.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.92 ¥12.83

1.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.95 ¥6.36

101.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.63 ¥10.95

42.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.64 ¥4.30

57.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.52 ¥3.47

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$2.95 ¥19.78

-24.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$12.53 ¥83.9

84.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.04 ¥6.94

132.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$1.59 ¥10.66

88.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.36 ¥2.41

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$14.64 ¥98.0

-38.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.53 ¥10.25

-68.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.29 ¥1.92

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$4.37 ¥29.24

29.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.26 ¥8.44

-36.51%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$19.2K ¥128.8K

29.75%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$17.5K ¥116.9K

81.64%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$55.4 ¥371

47.07%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$8.91 ¥59.7

-27.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$13.53 ¥90.6

38.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$55.0 ¥368

3.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$23.82 ¥160

-21.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$6.32 ¥42.33

-28.16%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$321 ¥2,149

49.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$16.7K ¥111.8K

-65.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$82.3 ¥551

-44.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$34.29 ¥230

4.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$89.3 ¥598

-9.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$59.2 ¥397

32.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$263 ¥1,761

323.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$169 ¥1,130

313.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$551 ¥3,693

559.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$377 ¥2,523

361.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$2,481 ¥16.6K

12.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$1,416 ¥9,482

61.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$1,082 ¥7,246

-84.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

3.46

298.27%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Changsha: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $263 in Changsha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changsha pays 544% 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 Changsha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $235 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 78% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $768 including rent). Changsha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 544% 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $263 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 $22.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $768 in Changsha – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $768 in Changsha versus $1,368 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 78% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.