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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $500 in Galle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $888 in Galle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,277 in Galle.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 181% more expensive than in Galle, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Galle is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$2.94 LKR 987

17.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$25.32 LKR 8,508

27.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$7.82 LKR 2,628

-38.11%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.74 LKR 920

0.36%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.73 LKR 245

89.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.37 LKR 126

102.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$2.29 LKR 769

30.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$2.98 LKR 1,002

29.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.76 LKR 590

-1.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$0.32 LKR 106

668.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.80 LKR 269

46.25%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$1.95 LKR 655

24.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$14.25 LKR 4,786

1.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$4.80 LKR 1,612

-9.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$8.27 LKR 2,777

44.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$7.48 LKR 2,512

-50.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$0.88 LKR 297

85.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$5.89 LKR 1,978

-53.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$1.24 LKR 417

80.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$1.11 LKR 374

72.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$1.42 LKR 478

60.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.14 LKR 383

-7.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.46 LKR 154

56.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$10.24 LKR 3,440

-67.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$9.18 LKR 3,085

152.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$2.07 LKR 694

34.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$2.94 LKR 989

-7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.16 LKR 53.9

68.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$0.31 LKR 105

54.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$0.33 LKR 110

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$0.62 LKR 207

903.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.20 LKR 405

-32.50%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

-1.19%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

-8.57%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$59.2 LKR 19.9K

32.30%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$4.43 LKR 1,489

-8.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$13.60 LKR 4,570

78.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$3.44 LKR 1,155

15.99%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$36.86 LKR 12.4K

727.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$447 LKR 150.0K

1387.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$27.44 LKR 9,218

97.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$19.33 LKR 6,494

95.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$70.3 LKR 23.6K

23.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$38.50 LKR 12.9K

98.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$192 LKR 64.4K

1662.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$152 LKR 51.0K

1251.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$306 LKR 102.7K

-45.40%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Galle: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Galle pays 83% 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 $25.00 in Galle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $246 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 181% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 83% lower in Galle. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $36.86 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $500 in Galle versus $1,408 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 181% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.