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 $1,397 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $528 in Dambulla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,588 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $866 in Dambulla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,778 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,204 in Dambulla, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 164% more than Dambulla, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Dambulla is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 Rp 61.5K

$3.95 LKR 1,328

-13.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.97 Rp 573.3K

$24.74 LKR 8,315

29.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 Rp 90.6K

$8.48 LKR 2,850

-40.45%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.7K

$2.62 LKR 881

3.44%

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

$1.39 Rp 24.9K

$0.68 LKR 230

104.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$0.37 LKR 125

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 Rp 51.9K

$2.38 LKR 801

21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.26 LKR 1,097

16.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$1.69 LKR 569

5.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 Rp 44.9K

$0.52 LKR 175

382.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$0.87 LKR 292

39.08%

Eggs

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

$2.12 LKR 713

11.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 Rp 258.8K

$13.90 LKR 4,673

3.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 Rp 74.4K

$4.54 LKR 1,527

-8.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 Rp 217.3K

$8.06 LKR 2,709

50.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 Rp 67.6K

$7.43 LKR 2,497

-49.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.11 LKR 374

46.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

$5.66 LKR 1,904

-52.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

$1.20 LKR 402

88.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.5K

$1.10 LKR 371

75.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

$1.41 LKR 474

55.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$1.19 LKR 399

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

$0.55 LKR 186

30.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 57.1K

$10.25 LKR 3,445

-68.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.84 Rp 427.5K

$12.70 LKR 4,268

87.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 Rp 49.8K

$1.99 LKR 670

39.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.97 LKR 998

-7.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,794

$0.09 LKR 30.78

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.20 Rp 147.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,668

$0.38 LKR 128

26.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,557

$0.36 LKR 120

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 Rp 108.1K

$0.58 LKR 194

939.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$1.21 LKR 405

-32.23%

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

$26.6K Rp 476.4M

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

1.17%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.6M

$34.5K LKR 11.6M

-6.63%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$60.6 LKR 20.4K

29.13%

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

$3.91 Rp 70.2K

$4.23 LKR 1,422

-7.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 Rp 428.9K

$15.24 LKR 5,122

56.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 117.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.0K

$3.28 LKR 1,102

22.26%

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

$303 Rp 5.4M

$36.68 LKR 12.3K

724.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,551 Rp 117.5M

$434 LKR 145.9K

1409.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 Rp 992.0K

$27.45 LKR 9,227

101.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 Rp 687.3K

$19.61 LKR 6,593

95.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

$68.9 LKR 23.1K

28.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$38.68 LKR 13.0K

98.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,420 Rp 61.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 Rp 37.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,762 Rp 49.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 Rp 40.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Dambulla: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $25.00 in Dambulla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $254 – 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: $1,397 in Ubud, Bali, $528 in Dambulla – roughly 164% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,096 per month in Ubud, Bali and $792 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 $32.00 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 17% 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 $528, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,397. 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 $528 in Dambulla to $1,397 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.