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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,734 in Elgin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,780 in Elgin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,826 in Elgin.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 19% less than in Elgin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Elgin 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$18.51 £13.78

-81.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$82.1 £61.1

-60.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$6.82 £5.08

-29.03%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$4.01 £2.99

-31.42%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.40 £1.04

-1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$1.39 £1.03

-46.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$4.69 £3.49

-36.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$5.50 £4.09

-30.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.77 £1.31

-1.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.71 £1.27

43.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$2.68 £2.00

-56.34%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$3.86 £2.88

-37.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$10.05 £7.48

44.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$9.53 £7.10

-54.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$13.67 £10.18

-12.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$3.33 £2.48

11.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.06 £0.79

53.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$2.06 £1.53

33.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$3.71 £2.76

-39.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.70 £0.52

174.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.16 £0.87

96.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.66 £0.49

60.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$1.04 £0.77

-30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$21.31 £15.86

-84.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$10.92 £8.13

112.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$3.03 £2.25

-8.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$3.33 £2.48

-18.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$4.49 £3.34

-93.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$124 £92.5

-93.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$5.33 £3.97

-90.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$2.35 £1.75

-82.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$27.51 £20.48

-77.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.96 £1.46

-58.67%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$39.1K £29.1K

-32.02%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$38.0K £28.3K

-15.23%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$209 £155

-62.47%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$17.84 £13.28

-77.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$40.91 £30.46

-40.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$30.76 £22.90

220.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$12.25 £9.12

-48.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$10.73 £7.99

-62.81%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$1,139 £848

-73.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$18.2K £13.6K

-63.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$36.72 £27.34

47.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$26.90 £20.03

40.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$96.7 £72.0

-10.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$106 £78.6

-27.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$945 £704

4.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$612 £455

9.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$1,803 £1,342

87.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$1,243 £926

64.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$5,262 £3,918

-46.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$2,238 £1,666

-0.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$2,030 £1,511

-91.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.32

149.62%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Elgin: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $945 in Elgin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elgin pays 1116% 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: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $82.0 in Elgin. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $293, with Elgin 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 Elgin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Elgin differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $1,734 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1116% lower in Elgin. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $945 in Elgin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 1432% less than in Elgin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,139 in Elgin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,734 in Elgin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Elgin. 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 Elgin 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 23% less than in Elgin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.