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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,546 in Forbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,615 in Forbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,330 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,685 in Forbes.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 45% less than in Forbes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 3% above, Forbes 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.30 Rp 59.5K

$18.19 A$25.80

-81.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 695.8K

$76.4 A$108

-49.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 Rp 99.7K

$10.04 A$14.24

-44.92%

Cappuccino

$2.62 Rp 47.3K

$4.40 A$6.25

-40.45%

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

$1.59 Rp 28.7K

$3.09 A$4.39

-48.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

$2.06 A$2.92

-63.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 Rp 47.3K

$6.63 A$9.41

-60.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 Rp 76.7K

$7.03 A$9.97

-39.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

$1.79 A$2.54

-11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.4K

$2.30 A$3.26

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 Rp 18.7K

$2.13 A$3.03

-51.17%

Eggs

$2.07 Rp 37.3K

$5.42 A$7.69

-61.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.61 Rp 317.6K

$10.12 A$14.36

74.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 Rp 71.6K

$8.62 A$12.23

-53.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.99 Rp 216.1K

$13.34 A$18.92

-10.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 Rp 63.6K

$4.06 A$5.76

-13.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 28.8K

$3.45 A$4.89

-53.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 42.0K

$3.80 A$5.39

-38.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 35.0K

$4.01 A$5.69

-51.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 32.4K

$2.39 A$3.39

-25.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.7K

$2.23 A$3.16

1.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

$2.46 A$3.49

-60.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,355

$1.63 A$2.31

-68.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 Rp 41.7K

$36.40 A$51.6

-93.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.35 Rp 421.0K

$13.33 A$18.91

75.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 40.8K

$5.07 A$7.19

-55.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.7K

$5.30 A$7.51

-46.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,891

$2.92 A$4.14

-90.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.16 Rp 165.1K

$89.1 A$126

-89.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 8,011

$3.57 A$5.06

-87.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,841

$1.73 A$2.46

-75.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 Rp 99.3K

$39.45 A$56.0

-86.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.08 A$1.53

-26.85%

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

$23.9K Rp 430.2M

$25.1K A$35.6K

-5.01%

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

$30.6K Rp 552.6M

$27.2K A$38.6K

12.60%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.5M

$217 A$308

-62.41%

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

$6.31 Rp 113.8K

$31.05 A$44.05

-79.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.30 Rp 330.0K

$51.7 A$73.4

-64.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 Rp 973.3K

$63.5 A$90.1

-15.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.89 Rp 322.7K

$16.44 A$23.32

8.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 76.5K

$15.82 A$22.44

-73.20%

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

$482 Rp 8.7M

$2,286 A$3,243

-78.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,756 Rp 103.8M

$19.9K A$28.2K

-71.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.99 Rp 811.3K

$86.6 A$123

-48.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.88 Rp 628.9K

$61.1 A$86.7

-42.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 Rp 1.4M

$104 A$147

-24.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$138 A$196

-42.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 Rp 20.7M

$1,471 A$2,087

-21.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 Rp 12.4M

$1,103 A$1,565

-37.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,619 Rp 65.3M

$2,458 A$3,488

47.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 Rp 31.1M

$1,944 A$2,758

-11.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,783 Rp 50.2M

$5,674 A$8,049

-50.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,238 Rp 40.3M

$4,938 A$7,004

-54.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.81

137.18%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 2, 2026

Last update for Forbes: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Ubud, Bali and $1,471 in Forbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $76.0 in Forbes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $365 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 83% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $2,546 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,088 in Ubud, Bali and $3,819 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: $1,148 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,471 in Forbes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $2,546 in Forbes – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 873% less than in Forbes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,546 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 83% less than in Forbes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.