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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,058 in Chiayi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,497 in Chiayi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,937 in Chiayi.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 29% more expensive than in Chiayi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Chiayi is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$4.83 NT$154

-28.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$46.59 NT$1,483

-22.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$5.83 NT$186

-2.06%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$3.53 NT$113

-24.36%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.85 NT$26.98

105.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.65 NT$20.81

33.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.85 NT$90.8

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.68 NT$117

22.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$3.12 NT$99.2

-48.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.03 NT$64.8

14.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$3.08 NT$97.9

-63.96%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.69 NT$85.6

-18.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$19.52 NT$621

-9.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$9.56 NT$304

-57.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$21.35 NT$680

-42.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$5.07 NT$161

-26.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$3.43 NT$109

-53.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$3.16 NT$101

-27.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$4.57 NT$145

-57.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$2.70 NT$85.8

-29.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.26 NT$71.8

3.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.77 NT$56.4

-42.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$1.12 NT$35.72

-50.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$3.84 NT$122

-41.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$4.63 NT$147

398.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.72 NT$54.9

40.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.29 NT$73.0

31.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$12.51 NT$398

-28.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$2.61 NT$83.1

-81.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.46 NT$14.64

-6.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$9.23 NT$294

-38.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.02 NT$32.49

-21.57%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$33.8K NT$1.1M

-26.13%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$24.5K NT$778.3K

29.69%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$65.8 NT$2,095

23.76%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$17.73 NT$564

-63.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$27.95 NT$890

-32.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$31.98 NT$1,018

77.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$9.85 NT$314

-53.91%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$631 NT$20.1K

-23.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$16.6K NT$527.0K

-65.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$63.4 NT$2,017

-28.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$39.63 NT$1,262

-9.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$83.9 NT$2,672

-4.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$104 NT$3,304

-24.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$375 NT$11.9K

197.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$251 NT$7,981

178.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$3,152 NT$100.3K

-11.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$1,883 NT$59.9K

21.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$2,129 NT$67.8K

-92.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

2.4

474.17%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiayi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $375 in Chiayi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 1167% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $47.00 in Chiayi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $382 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

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 Chiayi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiayi wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiayi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1167% lower in Chiayi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $375 in Chiayi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,058 in Chiayi – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiayi runs roughly 39% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,058 in Chiayi versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiayi but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Chiayi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiayi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,058 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiayi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Chiayi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiayi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.