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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $604 in Erdenet.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $852 in Erdenet.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,100 in Erdenet.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 133% more expensive than in Erdenet, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Erdenet is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$3.87 MNT 13.9K

-10.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$29.70 MNT 106.4K

8.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$4.44 MNT 15.9K

9.01%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$1.57 MNT 5,627

75.16%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.64 MNT 2,283

115.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.40 MNT 1,419

87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$1.22 MNT 4,367

145.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$1.33 MNT 4,779

189.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.02 MNT 3,640

70.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$0.72 MNT 2,581

241.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.80 MNT 6,434

-35.00%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$2.17 MNT 7,775

11.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$9.76 MNT 35.0K

48.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$5.01 MNT 18.0K

-13.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$3.80 MNT 13.6K

215.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$2.50 MNT 8,973

48.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$2.10 MNT 7,527

-22.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$2.62 MNT 9,372

4.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$2.02 MNT 7,244

10.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$0.72 MNT 2,595

166.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$1.00 MNT 3,581

128.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.84 MNT 3,022

26.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.69 MNT 2,487

4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$2.89 MNT 10.4K

13.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$5.69 MNT 20.4K

307.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$1.15 MNT 4,139

141.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$1.32 MNT 4,716

106.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.10 MNT 349

170.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$4.76 MNT 17.1K

70.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$0.46 MNT 1,638

4.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$0.68 MNT 2,431

-38.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

17.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.92 MNT 3,299

-11.96%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$12.3K MNT 43.9M

117.14%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$10.5K MNT 37.6M

206.85%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$61.3 MNT 219.7K

27.83%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$2.91 MNT 10.4K

39.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$14.91 MNT 53.4K

63.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$25.29 MNT 90.7K

289.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$4.46 MNT 16.0K

42.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$2.63 MNT 9,411

51.71%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$193 MNT 690.5K

58.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$2,617 MNT 9.4M

153.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$28.90 MNT 103.6K

87.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$29.19 MNT 104.6K

29.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$87.2 MNT 312.3K

-0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$89.5 MNT 320.7K

-14.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$174 MNT 622.1K

471.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$131 MNT 470.1K

412.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$580 MNT 2.1M

481.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$225 MNT 805.3K

-25.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Erdenet: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $174 in Erdenet. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Erdenet pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $30.00 in Erdenet for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $180 per month, with Erdenet cheaper across the board.

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 Erdenet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Erdenet differ by about 133% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $604 including rent). Erdenet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Erdenet. 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 $174 in Erdenet. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $193 in Erdenet. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $604 in Erdenet versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Erdenet but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Erdenet 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 Erdenet 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 Erdenet gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.