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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $300 in Cherthala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $502 in Cherthala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $704 in Cherthala, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 368% more than Cherthala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Cherthala is 78% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$0.90 ₹85.2

296.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$9.82 ₹934

230.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$2.54 ₹242

91.34%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$1.14 ₹108

141.23%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.37 ₹35.56

256.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.12 ₹11.56

483.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$1.55 ₹147

87.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.66 ₹253

42.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$0.62 ₹59.1

175.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.39 ₹37.08

533.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$0.60 ₹56.9

100.00%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$0.82 ₹77.8

197.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$5.16 ₹491

178.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$2.68 ₹255

60.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.60 ₹247

41.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$0.56 ₹53.2

176.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.56 ₹149

78.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$0.48 ₹45.94

385.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$0.51 ₹48.89

286.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$0.49 ₹46.28

371.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.40 ₹37.71

165.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.32 ₹30.82

128.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$2.08 ₹197

57.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$1.90 ₹181

1099.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.13 ₹108

148.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.70 ₹162

63.53%

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

$4.60 ₹437

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.28 ₹26.23

3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$8.56 ₹814

-5.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.19 ₹113

-62.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.30 ₹28.16

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$1.59 ₹151

292.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.17 ₹112

-27.35%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$11.5K ₹1.1M

125.43%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$16.1K ₹1.5M

96.95%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$23.62 ₹2,246

241.87%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$3.49 ₹332

16.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$4.64 ₹441

426.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$11.66 ₹1,109

737.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$7.17 ₹682

-10.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$1.72 ₹164

134.88%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$57.0 ₹5,420

433.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$1,556 ₹148.0K

325.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$7.93 ₹755

583.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$9.45 ₹899

310.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$37.65 ₹3,581

128.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$15.58 ₹1,482

392.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$123 ₹11.7K

703.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$75.9 ₹7,220

766.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$278 ₹26.4K

1112.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$181 ₹17.2K

1043.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$961 ₹91.3K

185.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$512 ₹48.7K

335.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$233 ₹22.2K

-29.90%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Cherthala: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 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 43% 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: $297 vs $91.0 – 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 368% 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 $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $450 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 $1,404 in Ubud, Bali and $300 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 $300, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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 $300 versus $1,404 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.