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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $533 in Dambulla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $863 in Dambulla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,757 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,193 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

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

$3.92 LKR 1,240

-12.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

$24.98 LKR 7,906

31.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

$8.53 LKR 2,701

-40.45%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

$2.67 LKR 846

5.62%

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$0.68 LKR 215

101.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$0.37 LKR 118

91.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

$2.31 LKR 730

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

$3.25 LKR 1,030

20.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$1.70 LKR 539

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$0.56 LKR 178

350.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$0.87 LKR 275

39.08%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$2.20 LKR 696

5.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

$14.12 LKR 4,470

2.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

$4.79 LKR 1,516

-8.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

$8.26 LKR 2,613

45.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

$7.37 LKR 2,334

-48.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.07 LKR 339

50.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

$5.82 LKR 1,841

-53.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$1.20 LKR 378

85.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$1.10 LKR 349

72.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$1.43 LKR 452

52.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$1.20 LKR 381

-14.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$0.56 LKR 179

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

$10.00 LKR 3,164

-68.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

$12.45 LKR 3,939

86.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$2.03 LKR 642

40.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$2.98 LKR 942

-8.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

$0.10 LKR 32.08

190.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

$0.38 LKR 122

28.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

$0.33 LKR 104

36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

$0.60 LKR 191

946.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$1.20 LKR 381

-29.17%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

-1.50%

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

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

$35.1K LKR 11.1M

-10.16%

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$60.8 LKR 19.2K

31.27%

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

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

$4.27 LKR 1,350

-4.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

$14.86 LKR 4,703

61.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

$3.28 LKR 1,037

25.91%

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

$37.36 LKR 11.8K

694.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

$446 LKR 141.2K

1393.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

$27.46 LKR 8,691

100.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

$19.70 LKR 6,234

96.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

$70.6 LKR 22.3K

27.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$38.78 LKR 12.3K

103.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Dambulla: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $0 in Dambulla. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Ubud, Bali versus $25 in Dambulla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $257 – 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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $533 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 $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $799 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 $533, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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 $533 in Dambulla to $1,408 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.