Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Cox's Bazar Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Cox's Bazar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $301 in Cox's Bazar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $511 in Cox's Bazar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $721 in Cox's Bazar.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 372% more expensive than Cox's Bazar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Cox's Bazar is 78% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$1.67 ৳205

113.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$12.25 ৳1,501

167.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$2.99 ৳366

65.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 ৳705

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 ৳303

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.66 ৳203

63.25%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.38 ৳46.66

252.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.12 ৳14.35

483.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$0.72 ৳88.8

151.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.47 ৳57.2

436.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.48 ৳58.9

141.67%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.05 ৳128

134.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$8.99 ৳1,101

63.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$1.69 ৳208

155.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$6.96 ৳852

74.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.25 ৳276

70.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$0.95 ৳116

64.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.62 ৳199

74.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$0.34 ৳41.71

585.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.16 ৳20.01

1093.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.42 ৳51.0

423.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.41 ৳50.0

146.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.27 ৳33.41

188.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.23 ৳763

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 ৳313

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ৳413

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$1.93 ৳236

72.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.22 ৳26.98

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$10.12 ৳1,240

-20.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$0.28 ৳34.17

64.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.39 ৳47.48

15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$2.50 ৳306

144.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.04 ৳128

-24.04%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$33.1K ৳4.0M

-20.88%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$33.5K ৳4.1M

-4.07%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$12.30 ৳1,507

549.92%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$2.68 ৳328

51.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$11.45 ৳1,403

105.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$16.51 ৳2,022

497.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$11.85 ৳1,451

-44.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$2.44 ৳299

70.08%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$24.26 ৳2,972

1152.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$1,368 ৳167.6K

383.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$20.50 ৳2,511

170.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$18.79 ৳2,302

103.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$32.35 ৳3,963

173.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$33.60 ৳4,116

131.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$69.9 ৳8,566

1339.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$42.15 ৳5,164

1502.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$310 ৳38.0K

1009.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$96.3 ৳11.8K

2018.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$743 ৳91.0K

282.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$261 ৳32.0K

766.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$288 ৳35.3K

-42.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.67

13.80%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cox's Bazar: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $69.9 in Cox's Bazar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cox's Bazar pays 74% 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 $12.00 in Cox's Bazar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $106 per month, with Cox's Bazar 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 Cox's Bazar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Cox's Bazar differ by about 372% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $301 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Cox's Bazar earns 74% 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $69.9 in Cox's Bazar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cox's Bazar runs roughly 26% 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 $24.26 in Cox's Bazar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $301 in Cox's Bazar versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cox's Bazar but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Cox's Bazar 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 Cox's Bazar 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 Cox's Bazar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 372% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.