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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $700 in El Viejo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,148 in El Viejo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,597 in El Viejo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 105% more expensive than El Viejo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, El Viejo is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$4.97 NIO 183

-28.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$35.56 NIO 1,307

-8.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$7.10 NIO 261

-28.59%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.43 NIO 89.4

16.46%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.84 NIO 30.75

59.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.74 NIO 27.26

-6.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.33 NIO 49.01

124.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.06 NIO 75.6

86.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.26 NIO 46.42

38.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$2.46 NIO 90.4

3.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.80 NIO 66.1

-33.89%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.24 NIO 82.5

8.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$11.39 NIO 419

28.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$6.54 NIO 240

-36.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$7.95 NIO 292

50.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$4.01 NIO 147

-7.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$0.89 NIO 32.76

80.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.78 NIO 65.6

51.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$2.25 NIO 82.8

3.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$3.99 NIO 147

-52.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$2.20 NIO 80.8

-0.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.06 NIO 39.15

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$1.01 NIO 36.95

-28.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$2.72 NIO 100

15.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$14.78 NIO 543

58.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.42 NIO 52.0

92.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.24 NIO 82.2

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.48 NIO 54.4

-69.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$6.89 NIO 253

-10.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.36 NIO 49.94

-38.24%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$22.9K NIO 842.5K

14.51%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$26.8K NIO 986.2K

21.07%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$99.6 NIO 3,660

-21.25%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$17.05 NIO 627

-76.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$37.08 NIO 1,363

-34.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$8.14 NIO 299

-50.37%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$122 NIO 4,502

147.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$5,932 NIO 218.1K

9.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$76.7 NIO 2,819

-29.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$72.3 NIO 2,656

-47.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$133 NIO 4,881

-34.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$106 NIO 3,897

-25.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.25

29.56%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for El Viejo: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $36.00 in El Viejo. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $262, 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, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,158 in Ubud, Bali and $1,050 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 $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $122 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 $36.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $700 in El Viejo versus $1,438 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 105% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.