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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $537 in Dambulla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $876 in Dambulla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,216 in Dambulla, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 161% more than Dambulla, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Dambulla is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.7K

$3.90 LKR 1,315

-8.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 589.5K

$24.89 LKR 8,388

30.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 88.2K

$8.24 LKR 2,777

-41.02%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.8K

$2.66 LKR 897

3.38%

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

$1.32 Rp 24.0K

$0.72 LKR 244

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

$0.41 LKR 138

70.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.8K

$2.38 LKR 801

22.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.8K

$3.27 LKR 1,102

15.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 31.0K

$1.70 LKR 572

0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.9K

$0.53 LKR 178

366.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.8K

$0.85 LKR 287

41.18%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 44.3K

$2.14 LKR 722

14.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 260.9K

$13.87 LKR 4,676

3.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 78.1K

$4.72 LKR 1,592

-8.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 221.4K

$8.09 LKR 2,725

50.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.8K

$7.51 LKR 2,532

-51.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 28.1K

$1.06 LKR 358

46.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.5K

$5.69 LKR 1,919

-50.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 42.3K

$1.25 LKR 420

86.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.7K

$1.10 LKR 371

79.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.9K

$1.43 LKR 481

61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.3K

$1.15 LKR 389

-7.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.56 LKR 188

30.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 59.5K

$9.91 LKR 3,339

-66.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 413.4K

$12.48 LKR 4,206

82.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.9K

$2.04 LKR 686

37.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 50.5K

$2.96 LKR 996

-6.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,281

$0.10 LKR 34.62

190.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 146.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,146

$0.38 LKR 128

18.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,193

$0.35 LKR 119

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 113.1K

$0.61 LKR 207

922.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.4K

$1.22 LKR 410

-30.33%

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

$26.0K Rp 471.2M

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

-1.67%

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

$31.7K Rp 574.1M

$34.3K LKR 11.6M

-7.65%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

$60.4 LKR 20.3K

33.80%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.6K

$4.35 LKR 1,465

-6.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 442.9K

$14.92 LKR 5,027

63.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 116.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 73.3K

$3.29 LKR 1,108

22.80%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$36.67 LKR 12.4K

729.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 120.1M

$449 LKR 151.4K

1373.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 983.6K

$27.51 LKR 9,272

97.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 703.2K

$19.71 LKR 6,643

96.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.6M

$70.7 LKR 23.8K

21.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$39.24 LKR 13.2K

95.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 61.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

16.45

-19.27%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Dambulla: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $25.00 in Dambulla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $255 – 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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, $537 in Dambulla – roughly 161% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $806 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $25.00 in Dambulla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $537, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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 $537 in Dambulla to $1,404 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.