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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $276 in Cherthala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $445 in Cherthala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $615 in Cherthala, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 395% more than Cherthala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Cherthala is 80% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$0.75 ₹72.3

358.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$6.27 ₹602

479.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$2.37 ₹227

140.93%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$1.07 ₹102

149.53%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.32 ₹30.83

446.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.13 ₹12.36

569.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$1.42 ₹136

107.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$2.41 ₹231

87.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.52 ₹50.2

211.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.39 ₹37.07

497.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.53 ₹51.0

109.43%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$0.80 ₹77.2

175.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$5.07 ₹486

248.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$2.29 ₹219

79.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.57 ₹247

44.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$0.53 ₹51.0

200.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.15 ₹111

98.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$0.36 ₹34.76

441.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.43 ₹41.45

344.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.41 ₹39.50

468.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.35 ₹34.01

188.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.30 ₹28.83

83.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$1.86 ₹179

19.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$1.84 ₹177

1153.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.06 ₹102

128.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$1.53 ₹147

96.08%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$3.96 ₹380

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.16 ₹15.53

68.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$7.13 ₹684

25.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.03 ₹98.8

-53.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.26 ₹24.90

65.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$1.55 ₹148

263.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.11 ₹106

-27.93%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$14.6K ₹1.4M

70.32%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$14.1K ₹1.4M

125.36%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$20.73 ₹1,989

292.96%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$3.43 ₹329

89.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$4.25 ₹408

341.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$10.24 ₹982

455.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$5.69 ₹546

229.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$1.53 ₹146

196.73%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$52.3 ₹5,015

819.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$1,309 ₹125.5K

336.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$7.13 ₹684

538.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$8.54 ₹820

320.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$35.47 ₹3,403

126.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$14.15 ₹1,358

455.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$123 ₹11.8K

807.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$73.1 ₹7,014

854.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$263 ₹25.2K

1283.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$169 ₹16.2K

926.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$953 ₹91.4K

192.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$500 ₹48.0K

358.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$231 ₹22.1K

-27.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.56

44.14%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cherthala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $123 in Cherthala. 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 37% higher in Cherthala, 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $6.00 in Cherthala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $83.0 – making Cherthala 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 Cherthala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 395% more than Cherthala, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $415 in Cherthala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cherthala, 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $6.00 in Cherthala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $276 in Cherthala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cherthala, where all-in costs run around $276, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In Cherthala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cherthala costs $276 versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Cherthala. 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.