Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Durban

For one person, living is cheaper in Durban: $1,130 a month against $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ubud, Bali outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Durban, South Africa
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,349
/mo nomad
Durban
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,130
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Durban

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 Durban actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,349 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,130 in Durban, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,349
  • Durban $1,130

A couple spends around $2,305 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,748 in Durban, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,305
  • Durban $1,748

A family of three spends $3,261 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,366 in Durban, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,261
  • Durban $2,366

Ubud, Bali costs about 19% more than Durban, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Durban
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.32 Rp 60.4K
$7.93 R 132
-58.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.64 Rp 647.8K
$39.14 R 652
-8.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.53 Rp 100.6K
$6.15 R 103
-10.08%
Cappuccino
$2.72 Rp 49.4K
$2.73 R 45.52
-0.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 Rp 30.9K
$1.12 R 18.58
51.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 Rp 13.8K
$0.91 R 15.22
-16.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 48.2K
$2.43 R 40.48
9.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 Rp 79.6K
$2.48 R 41.39
76.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Durban
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 Rp 27.1K
$1.17 R 19.51
27.35%
White Bread (500g)
$2.28 Rp 41.4K
$1.01 R 16.75
125.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 Rp 21.6K
$1.50 R 24.96
-20.67%
Eggs
$2.04 Rp 37.0K
$2.43 R 40.49
-16.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.70 Rp 321.7K
$8.22 R 137
115.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.96 Rp 72.0K
$5.32 R 88.6
-25.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.19 Rp 221.6K
$7.28 R 121
67.45%
Apples (1kg)
$3.66 Rp 66.4K
$1.95 R 32.45
87.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 Rp 27.6K
$1.95 R 32.45
-22.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.5K
$1.94 R 32.35
14.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.9K
$1.65 R 27.42
19.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 Rp 33.6K
$1.55 R 25.81
19.35%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 Rp 44.1K
$1.46 R 24.32
65.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 18.0K
$1.17 R 19.41
-15.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 Rp 9,332
$1.14 R 18.96
-55.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.22 Rp 40.4K
$3.64 R 60.7
-39.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.24 Rp 404.2K
$4.73 R 78.9
370.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 Rp 41.1K
$1.41 R 23.42
60.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 54.0K
$1.89 R 31.57
57.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Durban
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,562
$1.79 R 29.78
-86.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.82 Rp 142.2K
$21.32 R 355
-63.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,989
$0.41 R 6.78
7.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,817
$0.76 R 12.59
-43.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 Rp 98.3K
$7.72 R 129
-29.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 Rp 15.0K
$1.49 R 24.83
-44.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.8K Rp 433.3M
$35.5K R 591.4K
-32.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 577.0M
$32.3K R 538.6K
-1.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Durban
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
$148 R 2,460
-46.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 117.2K
$35.49 R 591
-81.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.58 Rp 337.7K
$39.45 R 657
-52.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Durban
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.48 Rp 899.4K
$31.01 R 517
59.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.65 Rp 320.8K
$8.61 R 143
104.99%
Cinema Ticket
$4.27 Rp 77.7K
$7.39 R 123
-42.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Durban
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$491 Rp 8.9M
$317 R 5,274
54.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,674 Rp 103.1M
$7,714 R 128.5K
-26.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Durban
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.64 Rp 811.4K
$53.2 R 887
-16.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.95 Rp 635.3K
$30.50 R 508
14.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 Rp 1.5M
$99.1 R 1,651
-19.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
$85.0 R 1,417
-6.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Durban
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,125 Rp 20.4M
$445 R 7,414
152.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$671 Rp 12.2M
$374 R 6,240
79.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,565 Rp 64.8M
$814 R 13.6K
338.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,723 Rp 31.3M
$744 R 12.4K
131.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,732 Rp 49.6M
$820 R 13.7K
233.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,284 Rp 41.5M
$565 R 9,419
304.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Durban
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$164 Rp 3.0M
$1,280 R 21.3K
-87.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
11.78
16.98%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Last update for Durban: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$672
Durban
$374 44.2% $297
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$288
Durban
$194 32.7% $94
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$108
Durban
$140 29.9% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
Durban
$121 12.1% $13
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$104
Durban
$223 114% $118
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$58
Durban
$46 21.1% $12
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$11
Durban
$33 186% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,125 in Ubud, Bali versus $445 in Durban. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Durban are about 7.8 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36 in Ubud, Bali versus $39 in Durban. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Ubud, Bali vs $194 in Durban – so Durban wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇿🇦 Durban
🕒 Local time
07:02 7:02 AM
01:02 1:02 AM
6 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
3,442,361
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18,175 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20,233 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 16.66 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6 USD). 1 EUR = 18.55 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.39 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Durban 8,990 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Durban

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 Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Durban cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,023 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,695 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Durban, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $445 there versus $1,125 in Ubud, Bali.
What are total monthly expenses in Ubud, Bali and in Durban?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,349 in Ubud, Bali and $1,130 in Durban. That makes Durban about 16% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 63% less in Ubud, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 enough for either Ubud, Bali or Durban?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,349 in Ubud, Bali and $1,130 in Durban, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Ubud, Bali or Durban more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Durban – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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