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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $717 in El Viejo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,152 in El Viejo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,588 in El Viejo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 96% more expensive than El Viejo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, El Viejo is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$5.02 NIO 184

-28.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$34.76 NIO 1,273

-6.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$6.88 NIO 252

-29.36%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.43 NIO 89.1

13.17%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.80 NIO 29.35

65.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.73 NIO 26.83

-4.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$1.29 NIO 47.28

125.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$1.97 NIO 72.3

92.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.22 NIO 44.68

40.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$2.48 NIO 90.8

-0.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.82 NIO 66.7

-34.07%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.24 NIO 81.9

8.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$11.03 NIO 404

30.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$6.49 NIO 238

-33.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$8.02 NIO 294

52.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$3.94 NIO 144

-6.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$0.84 NIO 30.69

84.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.82 NIO 66.6

53.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$2.29 NIO 83.8

1.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$3.83 NIO 140

-48.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$2.19 NIO 80.2

5.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.06 NIO 38.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.02 NIO 37.26

-28.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$2.63 NIO 96.5

24.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$14.79 NIO 542

54.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.39 NIO 51.1

102.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.24 NIO 82.1

24.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.52 NIO 55.7

-70.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$6.76 NIO 248

-7.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.30 NIO 47.76

-34.62%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$22.8K NIO 836.0K

13.81%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$25.9K NIO 949.7K

22.09%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$97.2 NIO 3,558

-16.88%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$16.79 NIO 615

-75.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$37.30 NIO 1,366

-34.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$8.08 NIO 296

-50.00%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$124 NIO 4,551

144.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$6,090 NIO 223.1K

8.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$76.5 NIO 2,800

-29.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$72.9 NIO 2,669

-46.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$131 NIO 4,809

-34.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$109 NIO 4,005

-29.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for El Viejo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $35.00 in El Viejo. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $260, 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 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,106 in Ubud, Bali and $1,075 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 $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $124 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $717 in El Viejo versus $1,404 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 96% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.