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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,117 in Forster.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,104 in Forster.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,090 in Forster.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 34% less than in Forster, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 4% above, Forster 58% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$16.14 A$22.81

-77.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$79.5 A$112

-59.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$8.33 A$11.78

-41.66%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$3.33 A$4.71

-17.42%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$2.49 A$3.52

-46.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$2.02 A$2.85

-65.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$6.54 A$9.24

-55.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$5.12 A$7.24

-25.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.02 A$1.45

67.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$2.81 A$3.96

-12.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$2.36 A$3.34

-49.15%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$3.02 A$4.26

-19.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$8.66 A$12.23

66.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$6.64 A$9.38

-35.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$14.23 A$20.11

-14.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.92 A$4.12

26.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.90 A$2.69

-18.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.97 A$2.78

41.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$4.50 A$6.35

-48.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.64 A$2.32

20.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$0.96 A$1.36

140.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.93 A$2.72

-45.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.25 A$1.77

-41.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$32.89 A$46.47

-90.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$14.14 A$19.98

61.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$4.72 A$6.67

-40.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$5.49 A$7.76

-49.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$2.62 A$3.70

-88.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$65.8 A$92.9

-87.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$3.83 A$5.41

-88.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.61 A$2.27

-72.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$51.7 A$73.0

-87.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.19 A$1.68

-28.57%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$28.4K A$40.2K

-8.67%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$22.3K A$31.5K

42.01%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$64.9 A$91.6

24.52%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$24.01 A$33.92

-83.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$52.3 A$73.9

-53.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$48.35 A$68.3

102.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$15.77 A$22.28

-59.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$12.27 A$17.34

-67.07%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$327 A$462

-7.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$3,843 A$5,430

72.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$64.4 A$91.0

-15.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$58.9 A$83.2

-34.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$97.8 A$138

-11.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$130 A$183

-40.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$1,273 A$1,799

-22.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$1,049 A$1,482

-37.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$2,018 A$2,851

66.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$1,667 A$2,355

23.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$5,544 A$7,833

-50.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$5,914 A$8,356

-62.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Forster: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $1,273 in Forster. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $79.0 in Forster for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $311 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 Forster: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Forster differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,404 vs $2,117 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,106 in Ubud, Bali and $3,176 in Forster 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,273 in Forster. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $327 in Forster. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Forster. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,117 in Forster, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Forster. 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 Forster 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 51% less than in Forster. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.