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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,314 in Cologne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,568 in Cologne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,822 in Cologne.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 40% less than in Cologne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, Cologne 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$17.54 €15.12

-81.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$89.2 €76.9

-59.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$12.16 €10.49

-53.70%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$4.31 €3.71

-34.57%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$3.86 €3.33

-54.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$3.37 €2.90

-76.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$5.92 €5.11

-48.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$5.10 €4.39

-15.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.33 €1.15

21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$2.27 €1.96

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$3.67 €3.16

-68.12%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$3.92 €3.38

-44.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$14.26 €12.29

23.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$12.10 €10.43

-66.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$29.11 €25.09

-58.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$3.01 €2.59

20.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$2.03 €1.75

-19.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.52 €2.17

-8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$4.16 €3.59

-52.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.35 €1.16

36.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.19 €1.03

99.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.65 €1.42

-36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$1.07 €0.92

-49.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$10.05 €8.66

-77.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$5.83 €5.02

295.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.35 €1.16

73.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.79 €1.55

71.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$4.06 €3.50

-93.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$73.0 €62.9

-87.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$5.57 €4.80

-91.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$2.72 €2.35

-82.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$35.45 €30.56

-84.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$2.19 €1.89

-63.01%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$34.2K €29.5K

-26.95%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$39.6K €34.2K

-21.59%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$380 €328

-78.24%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$13.72 €11.83

-52.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$38.03 €32.78

-50.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$47.41 €40.87

16.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$35.90 €30.95

-49.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$15.96 €13.76

-73.06%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$1,074 €926

-54.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$22.6K €19.5K

-73.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$92.0 €79.3

-49.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$42.15 €36.33

-13.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$105 €90.6

-23.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$140 €120

-43.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$1,202 €1,036

-7.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$880 €759

-21.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$2,427 €2,092

49.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$1,690 €1,457

1.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$7,814 €6,736

-64.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$5,229 €4,507

-56.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$3,629 €3,128

-95.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

3.79

263.59%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cologne: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $1,202 in Cologne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cologne pays 2072% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $89.0 in Cologne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $363 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 Cologne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Cologne differ by about 68% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $2,314 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2072% lower in Cologne. 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,202 in Cologne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 675% less than in Cologne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,074 in Cologne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,314 in Cologne, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Cologne. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Cologne 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Cologne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.