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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,253 in Forbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,312 in Forbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,370 in Forbes.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 36% less than in Forbes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 7% above, Forbes 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$16.01 A$22.42

-77.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$77.3 A$108

-57.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$9.55 A$13.37

-46.91%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$3.38 A$4.74

-16.27%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$2.61 A$3.66

-48.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$2.17 A$3.04

-68.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$6.52 A$9.13

-54.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$6.93 A$9.70

-44.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.42 A$1.98

22.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$2.43 A$3.40

4.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.98 A$2.77

-39.90%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$4.36 A$6.10

-44.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$8.64 A$12.10

69.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$8.62 A$12.06

-51.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$13.74 A$19.24

-13.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$3.24 A$4.53

13.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$2.81 A$3.93

-42.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.95 A$4.13

-8.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$4.07 A$5.70

-42.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$2.39 A$3.34

-20.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$2.10 A$2.94

4.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$2.11 A$2.95

-49.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$1.53 A$2.14

-52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$31.13 A$43.59

-89.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$13.48 A$18.87

74.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$4.48 A$6.27

-38.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$5.23 A$7.32

-44.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$2.62 A$3.67

-88.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$64.1 A$89.7

-87.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$3.54 A$4.95

-87.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.53 A$2.15

-72.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$33.24 A$46.54

-81.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.13 A$1.58

-25.66%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$28.6K A$40.1K

-8.29%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$22.3K A$31.2K

45.68%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$186 A$260

-57.83%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$27.73 A$38.83

-85.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$53.2 A$74.5

-54.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$49.41 A$69.2

95.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$15.48 A$21.68

-58.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$13.18 A$18.45

-69.35%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$1,600 A$2,240

-81.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$11.8K A$16.6K

-44.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$67.9 A$95.0

-20.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$51.2 A$71.7

-25.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$98.0 A$137

-11.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$108 A$151

-26.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$1,278 A$1,789

-20.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$1,070 A$1,499

-36.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$2,026 A$2,836

67.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$1,680 A$2,352

24.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$6,262 A$8,767

-52.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$5,125 A$7,175

-54.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.34

109.46%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Forbes: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $1,278 in Forbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $77.0 in Forbes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $337 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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 Forbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Forbes differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $2,253 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,158 in Ubud, Bali and $3,380 in Forbes to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,278 in Forbes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $2,253 in Forbes – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 684% less than in Forbes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,253 in Forbes, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Forbes. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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 Forbes 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Forbes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.