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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,023 in Durham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,041 in Durham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,059 in Durham.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 31% less than in Durham, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 4% above, Durham 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$19.27 £14.33

-81.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$96.7 £71.9

-66.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$9.92 £7.38

-51.01%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$4.41 £3.28

-37.64%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$2.49 £1.85

-46.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$2.00 £1.49

-65.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$6.28 £4.67

-53.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$5.27 £3.92

-28.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.76 £1.31

-2.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.64 £1.22

50.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$2.54 £1.89

-52.76%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$4.23 £3.15

-42.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$9.07 £6.74

58.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$7.92 £5.89

-45.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$9.74 £7.24

25.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$3.61 £2.68

1.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$2.28 £1.69

-32.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$3.23 £2.40

-13.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$3.39 £2.52

-31.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.14 £0.85

72.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.57 £1.17

47.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.04 £0.77

1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.81 £1.35

-59.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$22.67 £16.86

-85.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$10.67 £7.93

113.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$2.94 £2.19

-4.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.86 £2.13

-2.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$3.21 £2.39

-90.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$55.4 £41.20

-85.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$4.69 £3.49

-90.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.59 £1.18

-71.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$23.38 £17.38

-73.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.96 £1.46

-56.63%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$37.1K £27.6K

-30.05%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$39.6K £29.4K

-19.99%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$276 £205

-70.76%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$15.99 £11.89

-74.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$34.80 £25.87

-29.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$50.7 £37.71

92.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$12.78 £9.50

-68.39%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$1,577 £1,172

-80.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$18.1K £13.4K

-63.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$104 £77.2

-47.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$61.0 £45.35

-36.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$123 £91.1

-29.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$86.7 £64.4

-11.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$1,442 £1,072

-31.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$830 £617

-20.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$2,630 £1,956

28.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$1,246 £926

65.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$5,233 £3,891

-47.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$3,930 £2,922

-43.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$2,137 £1,588

-92.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.45

143.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Durham: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $1,442 in Durham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durham pays 1207% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $97.0 in Durham. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $293, with Durham cheaper for home cooking.

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 Durham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Durham differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,404 vs $2,023 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Durham earns 1207% less. 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,442 in Durham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $2,023 in Durham – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 588% less than in Durham. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,023 in Durham, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Durham. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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 Durham 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Durham. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.