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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $499 in Galle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $896 in Galle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,294 in Galle.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 184% more expensive than Galle, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Galle is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$2.98 LKR 993

19.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$25.15 LKR 8,387

30.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$8.01 LKR 2,671

-38.20%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$2.61 LKR 871

3.83%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.73 LKR 244

83.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.41 LKR 136

70.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$2.37 LKR 790

23.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$2.95 LKR 984

34.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.70 LKR 566

6.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$0.32 LKR 105

687.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$0.81 LKR 270

43.21%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.91 LKR 638

28.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$14.27 LKR 4,757

3.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$4.65 LKR 1,549

-7.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$8.15 LKR 2,719

48.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$7.40 LKR 2,469

-48.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$0.88 LKR 294

77.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$5.68 LKR 1,894

-50.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.20 LKR 401

94.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.10 LKR 367

73.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.41 LKR 471

56.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.14 LKR 379

-11.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.42 LKR 140

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$10.13 LKR 3,380

-67.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$8.86 LKR 2,956

167.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$2.04 LKR 679

36.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.83 LKR 944

1.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.15 LKR 50.9

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$0.35 LKR 115

31.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$0.35 LKR 117

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$0.57 LKR 189

970.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.21 LKR 405

-34.71%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

-2.32%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$34.9K LKR 11.6M

-7.89%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$59.1 LKR 19.7K

35.33%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$4.39 LKR 1,465

-7.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$13.26 LKR 4,423

77.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$3.37 LKR 1,125

23.15%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$36.67 LKR 12.2K

728.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$446 LKR 148.6K

1383.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$27.69 LKR 9,235

100.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$19.46 LKR 6,490

96.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$68.1 LKR 22.7K

30.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$39.15 LKR 13.1K

98.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$196 LKR 65.3K

1657.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$151 LKR 50.3K

1252.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$306 LKR 102.1K

-46.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

16.45

-19.27%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Galle: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Galle pays 85% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $25.00 in Galle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $242 per month, with Galle 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 Galle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galle is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 184% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Galle earns 85% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $36.67 in Galle. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Galle – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $499 in Galle versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Galle but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Galle the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Galle 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 Galle 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 Galle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 184% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.