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 $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,224 in Emalahleni, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,910 in Emalahleni, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,275 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,596 in Emalahleni, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 13% more than Emalahleni, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Emalahleni is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$12.64 R 204

-73.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$47.63 R 767

-24.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$7.61 R 122

-26.02%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$1.58 R 25.48

78.48%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.87 R 13.97

101.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.55 R 8.83

45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.46 R 23.57

108.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$1.70 R 27.39

152.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.33 R 21.50

21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.97 R 15.60

134.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.27 R 20.45

-7.87%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.31 R 37.16

-6.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$9.23 R 149

91.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.94 R 79.6

-18.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$9.06 R 146

34.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$1.84 R 29.67

96.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.22 R 19.70

34.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.85 R 29.80

24.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.65 R 26.61

18.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.81 R 29.16

1.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.05 R 16.88

125.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.41 R 22.70

-25.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$1.17 R 18.89

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$3.20 R 51.6

-28.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$3.68 R 59.3

527.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.33 R 21.42

75.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.34 R 21.59

129.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$1.52 R 24.52

-83.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$0.99 R 15.87

-50.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.92 R 14.88

-48.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$15.18 R 244

-63.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.46 R 23.46

-44.52%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$36.3K R 584.8K

-31.12%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$32.3K R 520.4K

-3.86%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$225 R 3,617

-63.17%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$38.24 R 616

-83.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$38.85 R 626

-51.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$33.33 R 537

65.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$25.39 R 409

-28.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$6.33 R 102

-32.07%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$215 R 3,454

130.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$1,897 R 30.5K

211.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$58.1 R 935

-20.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$47.84 R 770

-23.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$110 R 1,777

-26.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$111 R 1,781

-28.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$493 R 7,943

125.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$411 R 6,614

68.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$743 R 12.0K

389.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$832 R 13.4K

105.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$976 R 15.7K

182.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$692 R 11.1K

231.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$2,140 R 34.5K

-92.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

10.91

26.31%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Emalahleni: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $493 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 1181% 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $48.00 in Emalahleni. Groceries tell a different story – $294 in Ubud, Bali vs $193 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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, $1,224 in Emalahleni – roughly 13% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,067 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,836 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $48.00 in Emalahleni. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Emalahleni, where all-in costs run around $1,224, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. 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 $1,224 in Emalahleni to $1,378 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.