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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $906 in Esmeraldas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,395 in Esmeraldas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,884 in Esmeraldas.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 54% more expensive than in Esmeraldas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Esmeraldas is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$3.94 $3.94

-9.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$33.64 $33.64

-3.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$4.08 $4.08

22.79%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.79 $2.79

1.08%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.49 $0.49

175.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.48 $0.48

52.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.96 $1.96

49.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$4.08 $4.08

-3.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.02 $1.02

74.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.50 $1.50

63.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.80 $1.80

-36.11%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.48 $1.48

62.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$8.61 $8.61

66.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$7.90 $7.90

-46.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$8.29 $8.29

45.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.11 $2.11

72.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.17 $1.17

34.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.02 $1.02

173.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.32 $1.32

69.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.44 $1.44

37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.11 $1.11

105.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.52 $0.52

101.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.07 $1.07

-26.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$6.04 $6.04

-47.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$9.84 $9.84

138.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.58 $1.58

83.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.86 $2.86

-3.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.34 $0.34

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$23.75 $23.75

-64.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.47 $1.47

-69.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$1.27 $1.27

-63.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$9.95 $9.95

-38.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.70 $0.70

22.86%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$19.8K $19.8K

34.19%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$25.7K $25.7K

26.87%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$34.10 $34.10

131.73%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$14.56 $14.56

-71.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$29.51 $29.51

-19.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$30.34 $30.34

225.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$14.75 $14.75

-56.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$6.82 $6.82

-41.20%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$279 $279

6.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$8,512 $8,512

-22.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$57.6 $57.6

-7.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$43.19 $43.19

-11.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$103 $103

-13.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$84.5 $84.5

-9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$345 $345

195.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$312 $312

118.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$619 $619

460.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$501 $501

317.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$1,080 $1,080

152.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$832 $832

175.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$456 $456

-64.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.19

18.68%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Esmeraldas: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $345 in Esmeraldas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Esmeraldas pays 179% 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 $34.00 in Esmeraldas. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $211, 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, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 179% 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $345 in Esmeraldas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% 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 $34.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $906 in Esmeraldas versus $1,392 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 54% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.