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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $509 in Dambulla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $838 in Dambulla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,275 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,168 in Dambulla, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 171% more than Dambulla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Dambulla is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$4.37 LKR 1,436

-23.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$25.85 LKR 8,495

38.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$7.79 LKR 2,561

-27.73%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.49 LKR 818

13.25%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.74 LKR 243

136.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.27 LKR 88.8

196.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$2.16 LKR 711

40.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.96 LKR 973

45.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.56 LKR 512

3.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.57 LKR 188

298.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$0.75 LKR 248

56.00%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.67 LKR 549

29.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$13.42 LKR 4,409

31.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$5.13 LKR 1,687

-21.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$7.09 LKR 2,329

71.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$6.63 LKR 2,178

-45.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$0.88 LKR 290

86.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$4.38 LKR 1,439

-47.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.23 LKR 404

59.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.01 LKR 333

82.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.77 LKR 253

207.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.89 LKR 293

17.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.45 LKR 148

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$10.36 LKR 3,404

-77.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$13.55 LKR 4,451

70.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$2.00 LKR 656

17.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.78 LKR 913

10.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.10 LKR 32.56

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$0.38 LKR 126

28.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.35 LKR 116

34.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$0.88 LKR 289

536.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.35 LKR 443

-40.00%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$29.9K LKR 9.8M

-16.48%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$42.7K LKR 14.0M

-27.18%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$56.2 LKR 18.5K

47.29%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$4.28 LKR 1,408

51.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$21.00 LKR 6,900

-10.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.45 LKR 1,462

-3.37%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$37.74 LKR 12.4K

1209.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$1,221 LKR 401.1K

384.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$19.87 LKR 6,530

132.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$16.88 LKR 5,548

115.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$80.4 LKR 26.4K

0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$42.69 LKR 14.0K

84.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

12.69

8.59%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Dambulla: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $26.00 in Dambulla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $236 – making Dambulla the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Dambulla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, $509 in Dambulla – roughly 171% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,067 per month in Ubud, Bali and $763 in Dambulla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $26.00 in Dambulla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Dambulla, where all-in costs run around $509, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. In Dambulla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $509 in Dambulla to $1,378 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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