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 $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $306 in Cherthala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $505 in Cherthala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $703 in Cherthala, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 370% more than Cherthala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Cherthala is 77% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$0.85 ₹80.3

320.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$10.04 ₹953

224.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$2.63 ₹250

92.78%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$1.19 ₹113

137.82%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.41 ₹38.46

226.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.14 ₹13.10

392.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.60 ₹152

86.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.75 ₹261

40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$0.59 ₹55.9

194.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.42 ₹39.98

504.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.55 ₹52.5

116.36%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$0.82 ₹78.2

196.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$5.24 ₹498

179.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$2.65 ₹251

57.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.60 ₹247

41.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$0.59 ₹56.0

172.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.58 ₹150

70.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$0.45 ₹42.61

417.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.47 ₹44.38

306.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.45 ₹42.49

386.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.42 ₹40.02

152.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.32 ₹30.84

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$2.04 ₹194

53.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$1.90 ₹180

1136.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.13 ₹107

142.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$1.71 ₹163

68.42%

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

$4.57 ₹434

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.30 ₹28.76

-3.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$8.62 ₹819

-5.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.18 ₹112

-61.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.30 ₹28.36

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$1.59 ₹151

287.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.19 ₹113

-29.41%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$11.8K ₹1.1M

121.84%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$16.3K ₹1.5M

99.56%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$23.14 ₹2,197

238.89%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$3.36 ₹319

17.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$4.80 ₹456

408.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$11.67 ₹1,108

727.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$7.10 ₹674

-10.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$1.69 ₹161

139.05%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$57.2 ₹5,434

428.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$1,556 ₹147.7K

319.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$8.01 ₹761

572.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$9.21 ₹875

312.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$38.52 ₹3,658

125.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$15.42 ₹1,464

411.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$124 ₹11.8K

714.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$76.5 ₹7,258

782.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$277 ₹26.3K

1125.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$181 ₹17.2K

1061.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$961 ₹91.3K

210.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$519 ₹49.3K

350.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$236 ₹22.4K

-26.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.36

41.88%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Cherthala: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $124 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 36% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $10.00 in Cherthala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $90.0 – 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 370% 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 $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $459 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $10.00 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 $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $306 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 $306, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. 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 $306 versus $1,438 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.