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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $763 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,225 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,688 in Chengdu, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 83% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Chengdu is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

$2.90 ¥19.46

16.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

$20.18 ¥135

91.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

$5.18 ¥34.79

6.56%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

$2.94 ¥19.70

-10.20%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

$0.48 ¥3.19

247.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$0.28 ¥1.89

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

$1.46 ¥9.78

80.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

$2.50 ¥16.75

71.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.76 ¥11.82

-11.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$1.64 ¥11.00

35.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

$0.94 ¥6.32

20.21%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

$1.54 ¥10.30

35.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

$14.19 ¥95.2

22.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

$3.51 ¥23.54

10.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

$11.04 ¥74.1

13.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

$1.82 ¥12.21

98.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

$1.26 ¥8.47

23.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

$1.06 ¥7.11

121.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

$1.25 ¥8.39

64.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$0.69 ¥4.64

175.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

$0.72 ¥4.84

225.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$0.73 ¥4.91

41.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,854

$0.59 ¥3.93

-6.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

$3.63 ¥24.33

-38.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

$5.47 ¥36.67

335.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

$0.79 ¥5.29

192.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

$1.53 ¥10.27

83.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,839

$0.43 ¥2.91

-37.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

$24.95 ¥167

-65.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,554

$1.32 ¥8.82

-63.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,924

$0.29 ¥1.94

55.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

$4.38 ¥29.37

30.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$1.23 ¥8.22

-38.21%

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

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

$19.4K ¥130.0K

26.40%

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

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

$17.4K ¥116.9K

84.39%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$41.04 ¥275

103.58%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

$9.46 ¥63.5

-31.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

$12.83 ¥86.1

48.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

$27.45 ¥184

103.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

$11.02 ¥74.0

68.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

$6.02 ¥40.40

-28.90%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$410 ¥2,751

18.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

$14.8K ¥99.1K

-60.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

$28.78 ¥193

58.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

$29.21 ¥196

24.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

$60.8 ¥408

34.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$52.7 ¥353

52.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

$486 ¥3,264

129.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.5M

$256 ¥1,716

174.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

$849 ¥5,699

316.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

$545 ¥3,660

223.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

$3,813 ¥25.6K

-25.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

$1,909 ¥12.8K

20.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$1,284 ¥8,614

-86.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

3.38

307.69%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $486 in Chengdu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 656% higher in Chengdu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $20.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $196 – making Chengdu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, $763 in Chengdu – roughly 83% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,145 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $20.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,396 in Ubud, Bali and $763 in Chengdu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chengdu, where all-in costs run around $763, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. In Chengdu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $763 in Chengdu to $1,396 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.