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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $727 in Cotacachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,189 in Cotacachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,651 in Cotacachi.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 88% more expensive than in Cotacachi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Cotacachi is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.8K

$4.10 $4.10

-16.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 642.1K

$25.67 $25.67

41.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 100.9K

$4.53 $4.53

26.05%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.2K

$2.12 $2.12

25.94%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.9K

$1.29 $1.29

35.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.82 $0.82

6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.2K

$1.96 $1.96

50.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 79.9K

$3.98 $3.98

13.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.6K

$1.16 $1.16

39.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.2K

$1.52 $1.52

53.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.51 $1.51

-26.49%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 38.9K

$2.17 $2.17

1.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 312.8K

$6.56 $6.56

169.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.4K

$5.64 $5.64

-27.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.3K

$7.07 $7.07

72.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.5K

$2.20 $2.20

68.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.13 $1.13

40.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.27 $1.27

79.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.5K

$1.09 $1.09

78.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.19 $1.19

60.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.2K

$1.03 $1.03

126.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.83 $0.83

21.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,759

$1.06 $1.06

-48.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$4.55 $4.55

-50.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.0K

$7.67 $7.67

200.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.57 $1.57

54.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.0K

$3.05 $3.05

-1.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,807

$0.45 $0.45

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 158.9K

$14.81 $14.81

-39.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,554

$1.29 $1.29

-62.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,668

$0.97 $0.97

-55.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.8K

$10.12 $10.12

-44.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.74 $0.74

8.11%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.1M

$20.8K $20.8K

20.14%

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

$31.7K Rp 560.7M

$28.3K $28.3K

12.19%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$28.80 $28.80

182.85%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.8K

$12.93 $12.93

-49.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 331.9K

$26.49 $26.49

-29.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$30.58 $30.58

85.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.2K

$10.14 $10.14

84.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.2K

$6.87 $6.87

-33.92%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$75.4 $75.4

537.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.0M

$3,014 $3,014

89.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 804.9K

$42.28 $42.28

7.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 634.5K

$42.72 $42.72

-16.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$94.2 $94.2

-14.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$60.1 $60.1

30.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$265 $265

320.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.3M

$188 $188

271.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.3M

$466 $466

681.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.7M

$418 $418

315.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.2M

$595 $595

368.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$505 $505

353.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$427 $427

-60.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

10.12

36.17%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cotacachi: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $265 in Cotacachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cotacachi pays 154% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $26.00 in Cotacachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $190 per month, with Cotacachi 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 Cotacachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Cotacachi differ by about 88% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $727 including rent). Cotacachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 154% lower in Cotacachi. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $265 in Cotacachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cotacachi runs roughly 65% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $75.4 in Cotacachi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $727 in Cotacachi versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cotacachi but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Cotacachi 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 Cotacachi 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 Cotacachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.