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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $379 in Ciudad del Este, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $752 in Ciudad del Este, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,126 in Ciudad del Este, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 272% more than Ciudad del Este, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Ciudad del Este is 72% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$2.47 ₲14.9K

39.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$15.10 ₲91.0K

114.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$4.13 ₲24.9K

17.19%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.64 ₲9,897

67.68%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.82 ₲4,939

68.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.50 ₲3,015

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.24 ₲7,457

141.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$1.83 ₲11.0K

110.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$0.78 ₲4,722

123.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.94 ₲5,679

161.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.87 ₲5,275

34.48%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.64 ₲9,880

48.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$6.06 ₲36.6K

139.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$2.75 ₲16.6K

58.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$5.44 ₲32.8K

120.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$1.47 ₲8,845

153.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$0.76 ₲4,611

114.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$0.87 ₲5,218

214.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.02 ₲6,132

119.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.58 ₲3,492

231.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.72 ₲4,366

216.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.40 ₲2,395

165.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.30 ₲1,794

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$1.02 ₲6,171

222.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$5.00 ₲30.1K

363.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$0.52 ₲3,157

434.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.43 ₲8,595

90.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.62 ₲3,719

-56.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$0.65 ₲3,930

-26.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.73 ₲4,415

-42.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$8.58 ₲51.7K

-27.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.87 ₲5,226

-6.90%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$14.9K ₲89.8M

78.70%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$23.6K ₲142.5M

36.18%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$42.18 ₲254.4K

85.75%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$13.52 ₲81.5K

-69.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$13.35 ₲80.5K

82.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$18.65 ₲112.5K

428.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$4.20 ₲25.3K

-5.00%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$164 ₲987.8K

86.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$1,403 ₲8.5M

373.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$49.84 ₲300.6K

8.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$31.07 ₲187.4K

21.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$72.1 ₲435.0K

20.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$52.2 ₲314.8K

46.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$300 ₲1.8M

584.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$1,807 ₲10.9M

55.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$1,330 ₲8.0M

67.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$628 ₲3.8M

-73.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.17

30.58%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ciudad del Este: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 276% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $15.00 in Ciudad del Este. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $120 – 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 272%, 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 $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $568 in Ciudad del Este. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $15.00 in Ciudad del Este. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 148% 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 $379, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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.