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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $301 in Cherthala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $497 in Cherthala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $693 in Cherthala, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 362% more than Cherthala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% 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 64.5K

$0.84 ₹80.3

325.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$10.07 ₹961

220.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$2.66 ₹254

88.35%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$1.14 ₹109

147.37%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.40 ₹38.42

237.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.12 ₹11.72

508.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.55 ₹148

89.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.78 ₹265

41.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$0.63 ₹60.5

182.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.42 ₹40.25

483.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.61 ₹58.0

88.52%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$0.81 ₹77.1

197.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$5.36 ₹511

167.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$2.69 ₹256

55.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.63 ₹250

38.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$0.59 ₹56.7

166.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.57 ₹149

77.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$0.48 ₹46.06

366.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$0.51 ₹48.79

288.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$0.45 ₹43.20

406.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.40 ₹38.04

162.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.36 ₹33.91

119.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$2.13 ₹203

49.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$1.90 ₹181

1136.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.17 ₹112

147.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$1.73 ₹165

59.54%

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

$4.65 ₹443

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.30 ₹28.88

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$8.57 ₹817

-2.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.19 ₹114

-62.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.32 ₹30.91

43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$1.65 ₹158

267.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.22 ₹117

-29.51%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$11.6K ₹1.1M

129.80%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$16.3K ₹1.5M

100.30%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$22.99 ₹2,192

243.71%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$3.45 ₹329

18.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$4.83 ₹461

393.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$11.59 ₹1,106

752.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$7.22 ₹689

-12.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$1.72 ₹164

133.14%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$58.5 ₹5,578

408.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$1,527 ₹145.6K

332.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$8.02 ₹765

566.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$9.32 ₹889

308.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$38.40 ₹3,662

130.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$15.53 ₹1,481

393.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$126 ₹12.0K

708.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$75.2 ₹7,174

804.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$277 ₹26.4K

1153.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$183 ₹17.4K

1043.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$1,007 ₹96.1K

170.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$524 ₹49.9K

338.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$239 ₹22.8K

-31.45%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Cherthala: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $126 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 46% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $10.00 in Cherthala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $93.0 – 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 362% 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 $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $452 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 $32.00 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 $1,392 in Ubud, Bali and $301 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 $301, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. 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 $301 versus $1,392 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.