Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Dong Hoi Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Dong Hoi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $737 in Dong Hoi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,195 in Dong Hoi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,653 in Dong Hoi.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 87% more expensive than in Dong Hoi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Dong Hoi is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$1.97 ₫51.1K

69.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$19.23 ₫498.3K

86.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$3.63 ₫94.0K

55.10%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$1.02 ₫26.5K

176.47%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.31 ₫8,152

464.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.34 ₫8,914

135.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$0.54 ₫13.9K

462.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.27 ₫58.9K

89.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.46 ₫37.8K

10.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.91 ₫23.7K

149.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.09 ₫28.3K

7.34%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.53 ₫39.7K

41.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$13.07 ₫338.7K

34.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$3.29 ₫85.2K

23.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$9.09 ₫235.5K

33.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.58 ₫66.8K

40.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.07 ₫27.9K

53.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.27 ₫33.0K

81.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.44 ₫37.4K

36.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.10 ₫28.4K

67.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.21 ₫31.5K

95.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.04 ₫26.9K

0.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.49 ₫12.8K

10.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$1.53 ₫39.6K

50.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$7.89 ₫204.4K

192.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.81 ₫21.0K

188.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.14 ₫55.5K

43.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.33 ₫8,655

-24.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$5.99 ₫155.1K

57.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.04 ₫27.0K

-52.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.61 ₫15.7K

-22.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$2.37 ₫61.6K

136.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.83 ₫21.5K

-2.41%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$30.1K ₫779.1M

-16.79%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$27.7K ₫717.0M

12.31%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$67.3 ₫1.7M

22.89%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$6.25 ₫162.1K

3.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$8.27 ₫214.2K

127.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$21.00 ₫544.3K

163.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$6.80 ₫176.2K

167.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$3.15 ₫81.5K

36.51%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$161 ₫4.2M

206.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$15.0K ₫388.7M

-60.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$44.60 ₫1.2M

3.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$28.05 ₫727.0K

29.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$103 ₫2.7M

-21.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$81.9 ₫2.1M

-3.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$412 ₫10.7M

170.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$289 ₫7.5M

139.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$689 ₫17.9M

427.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$574 ₫14.9M

198.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$3,195 ₫82.8M

-13.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,286 ₫33.3M

78.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$406 ₫10.5M

-58.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

96.86%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Dong Hoi: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $412 in Dong Hoi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dong Hoi pays 143% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $19.00 in Dong Hoi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $189 per month, with Dong Hoi cheaper across the board.

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 Dong Hoi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Dong Hoi differ by about 87% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $737 including rent). Dong Hoi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 143% lower in Dong Hoi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $412 in Dong Hoi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $737 in Dong Hoi – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dong Hoi runs roughly 57% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $737 in Dong Hoi versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dong Hoi but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Dong Hoi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Dong Hoi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dong Hoi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.