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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $458 in Galle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $757 in Galle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,056 in Galle.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 201% more expensive than in Galle, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Galle is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$1.55 LKR 510

114.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$23.95 LKR 7,871

49.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$7.43 LKR 2,443

-24.23%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$1.79 LKR 589

57.54%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.69 LKR 227

153.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.27 LKR 89.6

196.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.21 LKR 397

151.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$1.48 LKR 485

190.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.56 LKR 514

3.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.54 LKR 176

320.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$0.77 LKR 252

51.95%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.58 LKR 520

37.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$13.19 LKR 4,334

33.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.95 LKR 1,627

-18.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$7.08 LKR 2,326

72.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$6.70 LKR 2,200

-45.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$0.72 LKR 238

127.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$4.26 LKR 1,401

-45.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.23 LKR 404

59.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.02 LKR 335

80.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.81 LKR 267

192.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.89 LKR 293

17.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.49 LKR 162

10.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$10.52 LKR 3,457

-78.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$9.31 LKR 3,058

147.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.89 LKR 622

23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.79 LKR 918

10.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.14 LKR 45.97

78.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$0.31 LKR 102

58.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.31 LKR 103

51.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$0.94 LKR 310

495.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.33 LKR 438

-39.10%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

-17.87%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$43.0K LKR 14.1M

-27.78%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$55.7 LKR 18.3K

48.64%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$4.05 LKR 1,331

60.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$21.11 LKR 6,937

-10.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.46 LKR 1,466

-3.59%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$38.06 LKR 12.5K

1198.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$1,219 LKR 400.5K

385.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$20.01 LKR 6,576

131.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$16.63 LKR 5,464

119.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$78.8 LKR 25.9K

2.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$43.01 LKR 14.1K

83.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$318 LKR 104.5K

-47.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

12.69

8.59%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Galle: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Galle pays 90% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $24.00 in Galle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $225 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 201% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 90% 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 $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $38.06 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 $24.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $458 in Galle versus $1,378 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 201% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.