Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Dien Bien Phu

For one person, living is cheaper in Dien Bien Phu: $770 a month against $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,368
/mo nomad
Dien Bien Phu
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$770
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Dien Bien Phu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Dien Bien Phu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $770 in Dien Bien Phu.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,368
  • Dien Bien Phu $770

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,314 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,231 in Dien Bien Phu.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,314
  • Dien Bien Phu $1,231

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,692 in Dien Bien Phu.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,260
  • Dien Bien Phu $1,692

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 78% more expensive than in Dien Bien Phu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, Dien Bien Phu is 43% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Dien Bien Phu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.33 Rp 59.9K
$2.03 ₫52.6K
64.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.18 Rp 633.2K
$19.34 ₫500.7K
81.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.80 Rp 104.5K
$4.39 ₫113.6K
32.12%
Cappuccino
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
$1.64 ₫42.5K
66.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 Rp 29.5K
$0.51 ₫13.1K
221.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
$0.33 ₫8,660
151.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.70 Rp 48.6K
$0.88 ₫22.7K
206.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.30 Rp 77.4K
$1.43 ₫37.0K
200.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Dien Bien Phu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 Rp 27.1K
$1.49 ₫38.5K
0.67%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 Rp 41.4K
$1.05 ₫27.2K
119.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$0.94 ₫24.3K
25.53%
Eggs
$2.14 Rp 38.6K
$1.51 ₫39.0K
41.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.48 Rp 314.6K
$11.24 ₫291.0K
55.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.03 Rp 72.5K
$3.73 ₫96.6K
8.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.23 Rp 220.1K
$9.86 ₫255.2K
24.04%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 Rp 63.9K
$3.06 ₫79.3K
16.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$1.12 ₫29.0K
40.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.2K
$1.33 ₫34.5K
68.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.93 Rp 34.7K
$1.27 ₫32.9K
51.97%
Potato (1kg)
$1.88 Rp 33.9K
$1.07 ₫27.7K
75.70%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 Rp 41.3K
$1.15 ₫29.7K
99.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 17.9K
$0.65 ₫16.8K
52.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,475
$0.50 ₫13.1K
6.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
$1.36 ₫35.2K
67.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.01 Rp 414.2K
$12.16 ₫314.8K
89.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 Rp 42.2K
$0.88 ₫22.9K
165.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 Rp 52.4K
$1.64 ₫42.5K
77.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Dien Bien Phu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 Rp 4,315
$0.31 ₫8,151
-22.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.82 Rp 158.7K
$6.45 ₫167.1K
36.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,684
$0.73 ₫18.8K
-34.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 Rp 8,233
$0.61 ₫15.7K
-24.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 Rp 98.2K
$2.39 ₫62.0K
128.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
$0.95 ₫24.7K
-7.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K Rp 442.2M
$30.4K ₫786.3M
-19.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K Rp 561.4M
$30.4K ₫786.0M
2.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Dien Bien Phu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
$77.2 ₫2.0M
7.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 116.0K
$5.79 ₫149.9K
11.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.57 Rp 334.2K
$8.56 ₫221.6K
116.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Dien Bien Phu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.8 Rp 1.0M
$21.91 ₫567.2K
154.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.11 Rp 326.0K
$7.83 ₫202.6K
131.29%
Cinema Ticket
$4.38 Rp 78.9K
$3.06 ₫79.3K
43.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Dien Bien Phu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
$159 ₫4.1M
209.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,754 Rp 103.6M
$12.4K ₫320.6M
-53.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Dien Bien Phu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.19 Rp 831.4K
$45.80 ₫1.2M
0.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.33 Rp 636.0K
$25.91 ₫670.9K
36.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
$83.3 ₫2.2M
-5.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$79.7 ₫2.1M
-1.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Dien Bien Phu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,142 Rp 20.6M
$413 ₫10.7M
176.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$676 Rp 12.2M
$276 ₫7.2M
144.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,503 Rp 63.1M
$737 ₫19.1M
375.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,700 Rp 30.6M
$607 ₫15.7M
180.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,784 Rp 50.1M
$2,783 ₫72.0M
0.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
$1,324 ₫34.3M
69.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Dien Bien Phu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
8.46
62.88%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Last update for Dien Bien Phu: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$676
Dien Bien Phu
$276 59.1% $399
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$290
Dien Bien Phu
$197 32.2% $93
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$109
Dien Bien Phu
$60 45.1% $49
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$108
Dien Bien Phu
$92 15.3% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
Dien Bien Phu
$106 1.8% $2
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$65
Dien Bien Phu
$28 56.6% $37
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$13
Dien Bien Phu
$11 8.6% $1.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,142 in Ubud, Bali and $413 in Dien Bien Phu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $19.00 in Dien Bien Phu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $197 per month, with Dien Bien Phu cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇻🇳 Dien Bien Phu
🕒 Local time
09:43 9:43 AM
08:43 8:43 AM
1 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
80,366
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

VND, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Dien Bien Phu 3,580 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Dien Bien Phu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Dien Bien Phu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dien Bien Phu cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Dien Bien Phu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,051 in Ubud, Bali and $1,154 in Dien Bien Phu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Ubud, Bali and Dien Bien Phu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,142 in Ubud, Bali versus $413 in Dien Bien Phu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Ubud, Bali or in Dien Bien Phu?
Dining out is cheaper in Dien Bien Phu – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Ubud, Bali and in Dien Bien Phu?
All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $770 in Dien Bien Phu – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ubud, Bali or in Dien Bien Phu?
At $770 in Dien Bien Phu versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dien Bien Phu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Dien Bien Phu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ubud, Bali or Dien Bien Phu more family-friendly?
For families, Dien Bien Phu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or Dien Bien Phu?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Dien Bien Phu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Dien Bien Phu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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