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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,083 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,560 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,037 in Durban, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 30% more than Durban, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Durban is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$7.52 R 124

-54.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$28.22 R 466

14.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$4.94 R 81.6

-2.02%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.90 R 31.28

44.74%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.90 R 14.81

53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.67 R 11.00

11.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.97 R 32.54

51.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.26 R 37.29

70.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.05 R 17.30

65.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.96 R 15.88

156.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.44 R 23.75

-18.75%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.09 R 34.55

16.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$7.50 R 124

93.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$4.52 R 74.6

-3.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$6.16 R 102

94.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$1.56 R 25.68

138.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.40 R 23.12

16.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.33 R 22.00

106.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.31 R 21.66

70.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.31 R 21.60

46.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.22 R 20.21

86.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.97 R 16.03

9.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.96 R 15.85

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$3.00 R 49.59

9.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$4.75 R 78.5

388.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.39 R 22.94

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.74 R 28.80

56.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$1.51 R 24.92

-82.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$38.64 R 638

-79.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.69 R 27.90

-71.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.58 R 9.62

-27.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$6.78 R 112

-8.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.32 R 21.76

-38.64%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$20.5K R 339.0K

29.57%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$24.1K R 397.6K

33.62%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$146 R 2,403

-46.18%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$29.42 R 486

-86.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$34.24 R 565

-28.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$33.69 R 556

192.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$9.42 R 155

-32.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$6.88 R 114

-42.01%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$205 R 3,383

48.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$4,576 R 75.5K

45.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$41.95 R 692

29.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$29.69 R 490

27.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$96.4 R 1,592

-9.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$71.5 R 1,180

6.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$377 R 6,230

162.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$364 R 6,009

84.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$759 R 12.5K

344.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$588 R 9,702

248.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$898 R 14.8K

212.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$597 R 9,849

273.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$1,247 R 20.6K

-86.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

12.01

10.57%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Durban: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $377 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 run about 647% higher in Durban, 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $28.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $168 – making Durban 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 Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 30%, 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 $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,625 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Durban, 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 $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $1,083 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 376% less in Durban. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Durban, where all-in costs run around $1,083, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Durban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 Durban. 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.