Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Columbia, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,349 a month against $3,317 in Columbia, MD, rent and utilities included – about $23,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
Learn more

Ubud, Bali Living Index
158

Cost of Living Index in Columbia, MD
Learn more

Columbia, MD Living Index

Jump to prices

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,349

/mo nomad

Columbia, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,317

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Columbia, MD

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Columbia, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,349 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,317 in Columbia, MD, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $1,349
Columbia, MD $3,317

A couple spends around $2,305 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $4,625 in Columbia, MD, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $2,305
Columbia, MD $4,625

A family of three spends $3,261 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $5,932 in Columbia, MD, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $3,261
Columbia, MD $5,932

Ubud, Bali is about 59% cheaper than Columbia, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 60.4K

$18.15 $18.15

-81.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.64 Rp 647.8K

$97.5 $97.5

-63.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 Rp 100.6K

$11.87 $11.87

-53.41%

Cappuccino

$2.72 Rp 49.4K

$5.41 $5.41

-49.72%

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

$1.70 Rp 30.9K

$3.21 $3.21

-47.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.8K

$2.57 $2.57

-70.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 Rp 48.2K

$7.37 $7.37

-64.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 Rp 79.6K

$10.19 $10.19

-57.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 Rp 27.1K

$1.27 $1.27

17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 Rp 41.4K

$3.99 $3.99

-42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

$4.23 $4.23

-71.87%

Eggs

$2.04 Rp 37.0K

$5.31 $5.31

-61.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.70 Rp 321.7K

$13.11 $13.11

35.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.96 Rp 72.0K

$16.58 $16.58

-76.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.19 Rp 221.6K

$18.77 $18.77

-35.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Rp 66.4K

$7.08 $7.08

-48.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 27.6K

$1.56 $1.56

-2.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 40.5K

$5.67 $5.67

-60.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.9K

$5.85 $5.85

-66.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 33.6K

$2.78 $2.78

-33.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 44.1K

$3.75 $3.75

-35.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 18.0K

$2.40 $2.40

-58.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 9,332

$2.73 $2.73

-81.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 40.4K

$13.70 $13.70

-83.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.24 Rp 404.2K

$15.85 $15.85

40.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 41.1K

$2.63 $2.63

-14.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 Rp 54.0K

$3.91 $3.91

-24.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,562

$2.03 $2.03

-87.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.82 Rp 142.2K

$40.30 $40.30

-80.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,989

$1.77 $1.77

-75.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,817

$1.35 $1.35

-68.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 Rp 98.3K

$23.68 $23.68

-77.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 15.0K

$1.07 $1.07

-23.36%

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

$23.8K Rp 433.3M

$33.3K $33.3K

-28.32%

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

$31.7K Rp 577.0M

$26.4K $26.4K

20.34%

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

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

$211 $211

-62.59%

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

$6.45 Rp 117.2K

$66.9 $66.9

-90.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.58 Rp 337.7K

$77.1 $77.1

-75.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.48 Rp 899.4K

$50.4 $50.4

-1.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.65 Rp 320.8K

$19.82 $19.82

-10.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.27 Rp 77.7K

$14.92 $14.92

-71.38%

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

$491 Rp 8.9M

$2,007 $2,007

-75.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,674 Rp 103.1M

$34.7K $34.7K

-83.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.64 Rp 811.4K

$52.5 $52.5

-15.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 Rp 635.3K

$62.9 $62.9

-44.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 Rp 1.5M

$101 $101

-20.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$113 $113

-29.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 Rp 20.4M

$2,099 $2,099

-46.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 Rp 12.2M

$1,874 $1,874

-64.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,565 Rp 64.8M

$2,987 $2,987

19.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 Rp 31.3M

$2,646 $2,646

-34.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,732 Rp 49.6M

$2,316 $2,316

17.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 Rp 41.5M

$2,340 $2,340

-2.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$5,801 $5,801

-97.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.63

107.84%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Last update for Columbia, MD: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ubud, Bali

$672 49.8%

Columbia, MD

$1.9K 56.5% 179% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Ubud, Bali

$288 21.4%

Columbia, MD

$477 14.4% 65.3% $188

Eating Out

Ubud, Bali

$108 8%

Columbia, MD

$326 9.8% 203% $218

Clothing & Footwear

Ubud, Bali

$108 8%

Columbia, MD

$148 4.5% 37.6% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ubud, Bali

$104 7.7%

Columbia, MD

$355 10.7% 241% $251

Sport & Entertainment

Ubud, Bali

$58 4.3%

Columbia, MD

$80 2.4% 38.3% $22

Getting Around

Ubud, Bali

$11 0.9%

Columbia, MD

$57 1.7% 399% $46

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,125 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,099 in Columbia, MD. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Columbia, MD are about 35 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36 in Ubud, Bali versus $97 in Columbia, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $477 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🇺🇸 Columbia, MD

🕒 Local time

07:13 7:13 AM

19:13 7:13 PM

12 h behind Ubud, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,800

139,698

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18,175 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20,233 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ubud, Bali Columbia, MD 16,390 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Ubud, Bali
Columbia, MD

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Columbia, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Columbia, MD costs about 146% more than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,023 per month in Ubud, Bali and $4,976 in Columbia, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,125 there versus $2,099 in Columbia, MD.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Columbia, MD, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36 in Ubud, Bali and $97 in Columbia, MD. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,349 in Ubud, Bali and $3,317 in Columbia, MD. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Columbia, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.