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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,058 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,552 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,046 in Durban, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 34% more than Durban, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Durban is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$7.60 R 124

-53.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$28.12 R 460

16.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$4.97 R 81.3

-0.40%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$1.97 R 32.17

37.56%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.87 R 14.21

54.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.67 R 11.00

4.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$1.93 R 31.48

51.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$2.22 R 36.23

78.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.00 R 16.27

81.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$0.91 R 14.89

176.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.48 R 24.27

-21.62%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.11 R 34.46

16.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$7.28 R 119

102.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$4.59 R 75.1

-5.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$6.33 R 104

91.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$1.57 R 25.68

144.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.36 R 22.21

14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$1.38 R 22.57

105.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.36 R 22.27

71.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.27 R 20.78

50.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.18 R 19.29

86.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$0.97 R 15.92

4.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.96 R 15.67

-18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$3.13 R 51.3

6.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$5.02 R 82.1

372.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.46 R 23.88

91.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$1.75 R 28.55

63.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$1.50 R 24.47

-82.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$37.86 R 619

-78.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$1.71 R 27.92

-73.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$0.61 R 10.01

-26.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$6.78 R 111

-10.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.28 R 20.85

-38.28%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$20.3K R 331.9K

28.78%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$24.2K R 396.2K

32.52%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$147 R 2,402

-45.59%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$29.29 R 479

-86.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$33.72 R 551

-30.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$34.46 R 563

186.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$9.14 R 149

-27.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$6.56 R 107

-36.74%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$210 R 3,425

45.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$4,585 R 75.0K

44.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$42.78 R 699

29.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$29.50 R 482

29.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$93.3 R 1,524

-5.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$73.1 R 1,194

6.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$373 R 6,099

169.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$368 R 6,009

83.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$754 R 12.3K

356.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$594 R 9,708

243.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$910 R 14.9K

212.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$581 R 9,496

289.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,395 R 22.8K

-88.15%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Durban: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $373 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 744% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $28.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 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 34%, 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 $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,587 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 $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $1,058 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 371% 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 $1,058, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. 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.