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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,374 in Ubud, Bali versus $799 in Esmeraldas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,313 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,354 in Esmeraldas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,252 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,908 in Esmeraldas.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 72% more expensive than in Esmeraldas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Esmeraldas is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$4.04 $4.04

-17.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.33 Rp 635.6K

$53.8 $53.8

-34.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 Rp 95.9K

$3.89 $3.89

37.02%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.5K

$3.28 $3.28

-16.16%

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

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

$0.52 $0.52

232.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$0.48 $0.48

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 53.0K

$3.47 $3.47

-14.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 Rp 79.9K

$5.47 $5.47

-18.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

$0.99 $0.99

51.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

$1.61 $1.61

42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

$1.53 $1.53

-28.10%

Eggs

$2.16 Rp 38.9K

$1.53 $1.53

41.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 Rp 307.4K

$6.58 $6.58

159.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.8K

$5.65 $5.65

-31.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 Rp 214.4K

$7.61 $7.61

56.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 Rp 64.1K

$2.23 $2.23

60.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

$1.22 $1.22

29.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 42.5K

$1.32 $1.32

78.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.4K

$1.08 $1.08

82.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.5K

$1.25 $1.25

44.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 43.0K

$1.08 $1.08

121.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.49 $0.49

108.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,841

$1.02 $1.02

-51.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.4K

$6.03 $6.03

-62.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.30 Rp 401.2K

$10.17 $10.17

119.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 Rp 42.6K

$1.51 $1.51

56.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.1K

$3.08 $3.08

-5.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,482

$0.32 $0.32

-21.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.55 Rp 153.9K

$16.70 $16.70

-48.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,950

$1.48 $1.48

-70.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,598

$1.22 $1.22

-65.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 Rp 101.9K

$10.19 $10.19

-44.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.7K

$0.86 $0.86

-5.81%

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

$23.7K Rp 427.1M

$21.0K $21.0K

12.90%

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

$31.0K Rp 557.4M

$28.8K $28.8K

7.53%

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

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$28.77 $28.77

186.13%

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

$6.30 Rp 113.3K

$17.55 $17.55

-64.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.63 Rp 335.3K

$28.50 $28.50

-34.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 Rp 984.7K

$29.80 $29.80

83.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 Rp 331.9K

$14.02 $14.02

31.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 76.3K

$6.66 $6.66

-36.34%

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

$484 Rp 8.7M

$216 $216

124.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,590 Rp 100.6M

$8,840 $8,840

-36.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.77 Rp 823.5K

$70.5 $70.5

-35.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 Rp 642.2K

$50.1 $50.1

-28.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$116 $116

-32.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

$107 $107

-25.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 Rp 20.6M

$300 $300

281.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 Rp 12.2M

$185 $185

265.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 Rp 63.0M

$703 $703

398.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 Rp 30.4M

$420 $420

301.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 Rp 50.2M

$1,125 $1,125

147.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,257 Rp 40.6M

$748 $748

201.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$447 $447

-63.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

10.12

36.17%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 28, 2026

Last update for Esmeraldas: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Ubud, Bali and $300 in Esmeraldas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Esmeraldas pays 171% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $54.0 in Esmeraldas. Groceries flip the comparison at $286 vs $192, with Esmeraldas 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 Esmeraldas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Esmeraldas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 171% lower in Esmeraldas. 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: $1,147 in Ubud, Bali versus $300 in Esmeraldas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Esmeraldas – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $799 in Esmeraldas versus $1,374 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Esmeraldas but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Esmeraldas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Esmeraldas 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 Esmeraldas 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 Esmeraldas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.