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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $714 in Cotacachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,139 in Cotacachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,563 in Cotacachi.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 97% more expensive than Cotacachi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Cotacachi is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$3.76 $3.76

-5.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$19.76 $19.76

64.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$4.61 $4.61

5.42%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.22 $2.22

23.87%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.11 $1.11

18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.70 $0.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.06 $2.06

41.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.97 $3.97

-4.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.10 $1.10

55.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.57 $1.57

57.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.86 $1.86

-35.48%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.21 $2.21

10.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$8.80 $8.80

63.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$7.74 $7.74

-44.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$7.39 $7.39

65.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.09 $2.09

76.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$0.88 $0.88

76.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.07 $1.07

160.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.30 $1.30

79.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.38 $1.38

42.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.11 $1.11

108.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.82 $0.82

29.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.02 $1.02

-28.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$4.43 $4.43

-25.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$7.35 $7.35

210.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.58 $1.58

77.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.84 $2.84

-2.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.45 $0.45

-35.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$15.22 $15.22

-47.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.22 $1.22

-63.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.89 $0.89

-49.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$9.82 $9.82

-36.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$0.72 $0.72

18.06%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$19.9K $19.9K

30.63%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$25.8K $25.8K

22.77%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$34.72 $34.72

132.57%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$12.50 $12.50

-67.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$25.33 $25.33

-3.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$29.41 $29.41

232.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$8.09 $8.09

-20.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$7.02 $7.02

-42.45%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$75.8 $75.8

301.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$2,949 $2,949

124.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$41.76 $41.76

29.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$40.85 $40.85

-5.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$95.0 $95.0

-9.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$60.3 $60.3

27.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$261 $261

277.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$176 $176

273.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$413 $413

715.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$334 $334

518.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$597 $597

359.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$520 $520

328.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$431 $431

-62.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.19

18.68%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Cotacachi: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $261 in Cotacachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cotacachi pays 164% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $20.00 in Cotacachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $207 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 97% in total monthly costs ($1,404 vs $714 including rent). Cotacachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Cotacachi earns 164% less. 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $261 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 89% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $75.8 in Cotacachi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $714 in Cotacachi versus $1,404 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 97% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.