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 $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,171 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,816 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,275 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,461 in Durban, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 18% more than Durban, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Durban is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$7.90 R 127

-57.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$39.25 R 632

-8.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$6.07 R 97.8

-7.25%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.85 R 45.83

-1.05%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$1.18 R 19.02

48.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.93 R 14.92

-13.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$2.54 R 40.87

19.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.61 R 42.00

64.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.30 R 21.01

23.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.07 R 17.24

112.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.56 R 25.08

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.44 R 39.31

-11.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$8.54 R 137

106.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$5.32 R 85.6

-23.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$7.14 R 115

70.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$1.97 R 31.69

83.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.95 R 31.37

-15.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.04 R 32.89

13.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.63 R 26.26

20.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.56 R 25.08

17.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.44 R 23.25

64.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.25 R 20.18

-16.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$1.20 R 19.30

-55.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$3.65 R 58.8

-36.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$4.95 R 79.7

366.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.50 R 24.20

56.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.00 R 32.17

53.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$1.91 R 30.69

-86.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$22.78 R 367

-58.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$0.46 R 7.39

6.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.77 R 12.44

-38.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$7.69 R 124

-27.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.49 R 24.07

-45.64%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$36.5K R 588.1K

-31.52%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$33.5K R 538.9K

-7.16%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$144 R 2,326

-42.74%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$34.78 R 560

-81.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$41.26 R 664

-54.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$32.89 R 530

67.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$9.31 R 150

95.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$6.88 R 111

-37.50%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$324 R 5,218

52.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$8,024 R 129.2K

-26.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$56.7 R 912

-18.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$31.20 R 502

16.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$101 R 1,619

-19.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$91.2 R 1,469

-13.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$490 R 7,898

127.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$390 R 6,275

77.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$833 R 13.4K

336.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$789 R 12.7K

116.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$924 R 14.9K

198.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$614 R 9,895

273.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$1,293 R 20.8K

-87.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.81

16.68%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Durban: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $490 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 674% 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $39.00 in Durban. Groceries tell a different story – $294 in Ubud, Bali vs $200 in Durban – so Durban wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 18%, 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 $2,067 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,756 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 $1,378 in Ubud, Bali and $1,171 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 142% 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 $1,171, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. 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.