Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Ciudad del Este Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Ciudad del Este

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,374 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $794 in Ciudad del Este, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,313 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,486 in Ciudad del Este, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,252 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,177 in Ciudad del Este, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 73% more than Ciudad del Este, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Ciudad del Este is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$5.99 ₲35.0K

-44.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.33 Rp 635.6K

$21.83 ₲127.5K

61.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 Rp 95.9K

$5.82 ₲34.0K

-8.42%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.5K

$2.30 ₲13.4K

19.57%

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

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

$0.91 ₲5,298

90.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$0.59 ₲3,422

35.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 53.0K

$1.01 ₲5,890

192.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 Rp 79.9K

$1.88 ₲11.0K

136.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

$1.14 ₲6,647

31.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

$1.45 ₲8,493

58.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

$1.20 ₲6,994

-8.33%

Eggs

$2.16 Rp 38.9K

$2.16 ₲12.6K

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 Rp 307.4K

$8.84 ₲51.6K

93.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.8K

$3.64 ₲21.3K

6.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 Rp 214.4K

$7.87 ₲46.0K

51.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 Rp 64.1K

$2.09 ₲12.2K

70.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

$1.28 ₲7,458

23.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 42.5K

$0.90 ₲5,262

162.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.4K

$1.19 ₲6,943

65.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.5K

$0.86 ₲5,012

110.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 43.0K

$0.95 ₲5,538

151.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.45 ₲2,626

126.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,841

$0.41 ₲2,398

19.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.4K

$1.40 ₲8,175

60.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.30 Rp 401.2K

$5.22 ₲30.5K

327.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 Rp 42.6K

$0.77 ₲4,500

207.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.1K

$1.73 ₲10.1K

67.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,482

$0.81 ₲4,724

-69.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.55 Rp 153.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,950

$1.50 ₲8,765

-70.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,598

$1.50 ₲8,788

-72.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 Rp 101.9K

$10.38 ₲60.6K

-45.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.7K

$1.20 ₲7,033

-32.50%

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

$23.7K Rp 427.1M

$17.1K ₲99.7M

39.18%

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

$31.0K Rp 557.4M

$17.0K ₲99.1M

82.57%

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

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$50.0 ₲292.3K

64.54%

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

$6.30 Rp 113.3K

$17.18 ₲100.4K

-63.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.63 Rp 335.3K

$18.93 ₲110.6K

-1.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 Rp 984.7K

$29.43 ₲172.0K

85.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 Rp 331.9K

$13.77 ₲80.5K

33.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 76.3K

$6.13 ₲35.8K

-30.83%

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

$484 Rp 8.7M

$180 ₲1.1M

168.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,590 Rp 100.6M

$1,857 ₲10.8M

201.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.77 Rp 823.5K

$63.0 ₲368.0K

-27.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 Rp 642.2K

$31.87 ₲186.2K

11.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$96.4 ₲563.1K

-18.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

$54.0 ₲315.6K

48.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 Rp 20.6M

$334 ₲2.0M

243.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 Rp 12.2M

$260 ₲1.5M

160.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 Rp 63.0M

$717 ₲4.2M

388.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 Rp 30.4M

$947 ₲5.5M

78.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 Rp 50.2M

$1,834 ₲10.7M

52.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,257 Rp 40.6M

$1,350 ₲7.9M

67.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$599 ₲3.5M

-72.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

10.15

35.76%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 28, 2026

Last update for Ciudad del Este: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,147 in Ubud, Bali versus $334 in Ciudad del Este. 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 263% higher in Ciudad del Este, 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 $35.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $22.00 in Ciudad del Este. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $164 – making Ciudad del Este 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 Ciudad del Este: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 73%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,062 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,191 in Ciudad del Este. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ciudad del Este, 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 $35.00 in Ubud, Bali and $22.00 in Ciudad del Este. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ciudad del Este, where all-in costs run around $794, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,374. In Ciudad del Este it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ciudad del Este – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ciudad del Este. 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.