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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,149 in Chiayi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,950 in Chiayi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,751 in Chiayi.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 21% more expensive than in Chiayi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Chiayi is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$6.71 NT$217

-46.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$40.61 NT$1,311

-20.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$5.88 NT$190

-14.80%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.24 NT$72.2

25.89%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.16 NT$37.59

16.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.77 NT$24.99

-5.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.88 NT$60.8

55.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.98 NT$96.3

32.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$3.21 NT$104

-44.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.90 NT$61.3

28.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$3.03 NT$97.9

-62.05%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.92 NT$94.2

-17.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$19.98 NT$645

-28.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$9.89 NT$319

-57.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$20.10 NT$649

-40.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$5.12 NT$165

-28.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$2.87 NT$92.6

-45.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$2.76 NT$89.0

1.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$4.12 NT$133

-45.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$2.83 NT$91.5

-30.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$2.17 NT$70.2

5.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.88 NT$60.6

-44.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.33 NT$42.92

-40.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$4.06 NT$131

-21.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$4.78 NT$154

391.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.79 NT$58.0

62.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.43 NT$78.3

13.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.84 NT$27.07

-67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$39.58 NT$1,278

-78.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$2.93 NT$94.6

-84.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.42 NT$13.43

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$10.02 NT$324

-39.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.04 NT$33.56

-17.31%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$37.9K NT$1.2M

-29.81%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$27.4K NT$883.6K

18.95%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$72.4 NT$2,338

9.16%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$19.02 NT$614

-78.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$24.90 NT$804

-4.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$37.31 NT$1,205

164.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$15.33 NT$495

-58.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$11.98 NT$387

-66.53%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$644 NT$20.8K

-53.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$18.5K NT$596.1K

-64.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$59.1 NT$1,907

-9.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$32.77 NT$1,058

16.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$91.9 NT$2,969

-3.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$123 NT$3,987

-37.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$426 NT$13.8K

139.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$290 NT$9,369

134.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$1,042 NT$33.6K

232.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$720 NT$23.3K

190.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$3,045 NT$98.3K

-10.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$1,834 NT$59.2K

25.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$2,116 NT$68.3K

-92.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

2.19

506.39%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiayi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $426 in Chiayi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 1193% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $41.00 in Chiayi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $379 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 21% 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 1193% 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $426 in Chiayi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,149 in Chiayi – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiayi runs roughly 373% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,149 in Chiayi versus $1,392 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 $1,149 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 21% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.