Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and El Viejo Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and El Viejo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $780 in El Viejo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,254 in El Viejo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,728 in El Viejo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 75% more expensive than in El Viejo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, El Viejo is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$10.11 NIO 370

-65.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$37.45 NIO 1,372

-3.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$7.48 NIO 274

-23.66%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.54 NIO 93.0

5.12%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.85 NIO 30.98

105.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.73 NIO 26.90

19.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$1.40 NIO 51.4

110.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$1.95 NIO 71.3

131.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.23 NIO 44.99

31.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.40 NIO 88.0

-2.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.76 NIO 64.5

-36.93%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.38 NIO 87.2

-7.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$11.60 NIO 425

52.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$6.78 NIO 248

-39.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$7.29 NIO 267

67.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$3.61 NIO 132

2.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$0.63 NIO 22.97

152.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.85 NIO 67.7

23.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$2.28 NIO 83.6

-14.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$3.85 NIO 141

-50.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.16 NIO 79.0

7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.00 NIO 36.66

1.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$1.03 NIO 37.71

-46.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$2.72 NIO 99.5

-18.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$14.52 NIO 532

58.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.47 NIO 53.8

64.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.27 NIO 83.1

32.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.61 NIO 59.0

-70.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$1.60 NIO 58.5

-73.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$6.62 NIO 242

-14.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.33 NIO 48.71

-39.85%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$22.5K NIO 825.7K

10.65%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$26.8K NIO 980.7K

18.42%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$118 NIO 4,313

-30.83%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$16.92 NIO 620

-61.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$36.25 NIO 1,328

-48.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$8.74 NIO 320

-48.05%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$233 NIO 8,544

106.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$6,018 NIO 220.4K

-5.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$71.0 NIO 2,600

-35.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$73.7 NIO 2,698

-51.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$133 NIO 4,878

-39.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$109 NIO 4,003

-28.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

10.25

34.44%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for El Viejo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $37.00 in El Viejo. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $257, with El Viejo 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 El Viejo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Viejo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,052 in Ubud, Bali and $1,170 in El Viejo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $233 in El Viejo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in El Viejo – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $780 in El Viejo versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Viejo but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes El Viejo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, El Viejo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and El Viejo 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 El Viejo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.