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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $390 in Dharamsala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $580 in Dharamsala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $771 in Dharamsala, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 258% more than Dharamsala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Dharamsala is 72% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$2.67 ₹252

26.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$10.48 ₹990

268.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$3.24 ₹306

70.37%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$1.42 ₹134

85.92%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$0.40 ₹37.92

317.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.13 ₹12.18

492.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$1.55 ₹146

69.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$3.09 ₹292

38.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$0.62 ₹58.4

150.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$0.51 ₹48.59

335.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$0.87 ₹81.9

29.89%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$1.02 ₹96.2

104.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$4.93 ₹466

252.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$2.83 ₹268

36.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$1.39 ₹132

160.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$0.72 ₹68.3

116.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$1.05 ₹99.1

123.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$0.57 ₹53.6

261.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$0.22 ₹20.81

763.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.37 ₹35.09

532.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.35 ₹33.50

194.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$0.30 ₹28.01

83.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$3.11 ₹294

-27.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$3.17 ₹299

651.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.64 ₹155

40.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$2.80 ₹265

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.32 ₹503

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.27 ₹25.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

$7.68 ₹725

12.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$1.03 ₹97.0

-53.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.25 ₹23.63

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$1.60 ₹151

257.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.09 ₹103

-30.28%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

$12.8K ₹1.2M

91.59%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$24.8K ₹2.3M

29.62%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$45.09 ₹4,261

85.30%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$2.33 ₹220

177.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

$2.69 ₹254

605.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

$13.12 ₹1,239

326.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

$6.94 ₹655

168.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$3.20 ₹302

33.75%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$58.2 ₹5,500

735.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$2,493 ₹235.5K

134.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$26.99 ₹2,550

68.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$21.31 ₹2,013

70.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$53.5 ₹5,055

53.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$42.36 ₹4,002

89.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$97.7 ₹9,234

1042.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$83.6 ₹7,897

738.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$169 ₹16.0K

1989.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$131 ₹12.4K

1248.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$989 ₹93.4K

185.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$516 ₹48.8K

344.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

72.25%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Dharamsala: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $97.7 in Dharamsala. 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $10.00 in Dharamsala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $93.0 – making Dharamsala 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 Dharamsala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 258%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $585 in Dharamsala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dharamsala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,396 in Ubud, Bali and $390 in Dharamsala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 13% less in Dharamsala. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dharamsala, where all-in costs run around $390, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. In Dharamsala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dharamsala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Dharamsala. 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.