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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,044 in Emalahleni, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,640 in Emalahleni, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,235 in Emalahleni, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 33% more than Emalahleni, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Emalahleni is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

$11.38 R 190

-68.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

$44.92 R 748

-28.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

$4.80 R 80.0

4.38%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

$2.24 R 37.39

25.89%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.99 R 16.52

36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.83 R 13.79

-12.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.61 R 43.49

12.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

$2.59 R 43.10

52.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

$1.18 R 19.67

50.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

$0.90 R 14.92

172.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

$1.70 R 28.34

-32.35%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

$2.05 R 34.19

17.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

$8.02 R 134

78.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

$4.19 R 69.9

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

$5.53 R 92.1

118.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

$1.37 R 22.83

165.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.43 R 23.87

9.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

$1.43 R 23.82

95.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.37 R 22.84

63.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

$1.51 R 25.09

31.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

$0.94 R 15.62

142.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

$1.05 R 17.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.94 R 15.59

-15.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

$2.77 R 46.21

15.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

$5.84 R 97.3

302.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

$1.22 R 20.34

137.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

$1.55 R 25.78

78.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,821

$2.50 R 41.59

-89.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

$119 R 1,982

-92.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,180

$0.65 R 10.79

-30.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,311

$0.95 R 15.88

-51.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

$3.89 R 64.8

56.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.22 R 20.26

-29.51%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

$22.7K R 378.5K

17.02%

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

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

$23.7K R 394.8K

37.34%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$112 R 1,863

-29.33%

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

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

$40.07 R 668

-89.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

$42.56 R 709

-43.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$33.10 R 551

198.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

$22.22 R 370

-71.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

$5.69 R 94.7

-29.53%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$207 R 3,446

43.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

$1,408 R 23.5K

368.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

$51.3 R 855

4.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

$33.30 R 555

14.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$92.4 R 1,538

-4.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$79.7 R 1,327

-3.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$366 R 6,093

178.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$245 R 4,075

178.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

$683 R 11.4K

407.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

$461 R 7,684

353.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$860 R 14.3K

217.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

$642 R 10.7K

257.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$1,662 R 27.7K

-90.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.51

15.38%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Emalahleni: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $366 in Emalahleni. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 915% higher in Emalahleni, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $45.00 in Emalahleni. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $168 in Emalahleni – so Emalahleni wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Emalahleni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, $1,044 in Emalahleni – roughly 33% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,566 in Emalahleni. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Emalahleni, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 77% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $45.00 in Emalahleni. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Emalahleni, where all-in costs run around $1,044, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. In Emalahleni it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,044 in Emalahleni to $1,392 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Emalahleni. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.