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 $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $670 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,074 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,478 in Chengdu, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 115% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Chengdu is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$2.84 ¥19.42

25.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$24.02 ¥165

35.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$4.78 ¥32.72

6.07%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.77 ¥19.01

2.17%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.43 ¥2.95

211.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.30 ¥2.08

130.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.13 ¥7.75

164.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.04 ¥13.97

88.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.82 ¥12.45

-4.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.45 ¥9.92

75.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.92 ¥6.32

29.35%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.94 ¥13.28

25.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$13.50 ¥92.5

8.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$3.52 ¥24.11

18.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$11.22 ¥76.8

6.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$1.92 ¥13.16

92.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.23 ¥8.39

30.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.49 ¥10.24

80.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.08 ¥7.40

115.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.69 ¥4.75

176.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.71 ¥4.84

208.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.56 ¥3.84

89.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.60 ¥4.14

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$3.39 ¥23.21

-7.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$5.58 ¥38.20

320.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.00 ¥6.88

174.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$1.79 ¥12.26

60.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.43 ¥2.96

-32.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$27.53 ¥189

-70.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.28 ¥8.79

-64.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.26 ¥1.77

61.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$4.26 ¥29.16

44.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.18 ¥8.07

-28.81%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$18.7K ¥127.9K

40.54%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$16.3K ¥111.9K

98.75%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$43.81 ¥300

79.00%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$11.49 ¥78.7

-65.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$11.73 ¥80.3

108.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$24.26 ¥166

297.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$11.27 ¥77.2

-43.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$5.73 ¥39.23

-29.49%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$340 ¥2,326

-10.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$12.2K ¥83.4K

-46.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$37.27 ¥255

44.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$39.16 ¥268

-3.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$65.7 ¥450

32.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$50.4 ¥345

56.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$308 ¥2,112

228.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$181 ¥1,242

271.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$622 ¥4,258

445.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$330 ¥2,263

534.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$3,887 ¥26.6K

-23.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$2,045 ¥14.0K

14.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$1,210 ¥8,287

-85.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.21

215.44%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $308 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 599% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $24.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $197 – 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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, $670 in Chengdu – roughly 115% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,006 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $24.00 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 $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $670 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 $670, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. 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 $670 in Chengdu to $1,438 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.