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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $726 in El Viejo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,160 in El Viejo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,594 in El Viejo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 92% more expensive than in El Viejo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, El Viejo is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$5.02 NIO 184

-28.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$35.48 NIO 1,300

-8.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$7.11 NIO 260

-29.54%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.39 NIO 87.4

17.99%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.83 NIO 30.51

62.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.74 NIO 27.27

-1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.33 NIO 48.84

120.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$1.95 NIO 71.4

102.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.27 NIO 46.55

40.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$2.48 NIO 90.8

-1.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.81 NIO 66.1

-36.46%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.23 NIO 81.8

8.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$11.27 NIO 413

27.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$6.81 NIO 249

-38.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$7.88 NIO 288

53.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$3.84 NIO 141

-5.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$0.84 NIO 30.92

86.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.75 NIO 64.1

59.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$2.22 NIO 81.2

0.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$3.92 NIO 144

-49.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$2.20 NIO 80.5

3.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.02 NIO 37.32

2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.06 NIO 38.72

-25.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$2.62 NIO 95.9

21.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$14.56 NIO 533

61.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.47 NIO 53.8

97.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.25 NIO 82.5

22.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.46 NIO 53.6

-69.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$6.87 NIO 252

-11.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.29 NIO 47.41

-33.33%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$23.2K NIO 850.4K

14.50%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$26.4K NIO 967.2K

23.26%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$97.5 NIO 3,570

-18.94%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$16.96 NIO 621

-75.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$37.93 NIO 1,389

-37.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$7.81 NIO 286

-48.66%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$126 NIO 4,615

135.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$6,073 NIO 222.4K

8.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$76.3 NIO 2,793

-29.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$73.4 NIO 2,690

-48.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$133 NIO 4,861

-33.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$108 NIO 3,937

-28.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 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: July 28, 2026

Last update for El Viejo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $35.00 in El Viejo. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $261, 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 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,088 in Ubud, Bali and $1,088 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 $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $126 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 $35.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $726 in El Viejo versus $1,392 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 92% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.