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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $497 in Gampaha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $872 in Gampaha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,247 in Gampaha.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$1.72 LKR 577

100.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$25.50 LKR 8,569

26.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$5.05 LKR 1,697

-4.16%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.13 LKR 715

29.11%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.69 LKR 231

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.38 LKR 127

97.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.21 LKR 743

35.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$1.64 LKR 552

134.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.78 LKR 597

-2.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.52 LKR 176

373.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.73 LKR 244

60.27%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.21 LKR 741

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$14.34 LKR 4,819

1.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$4.38 LKR 1,470

-0.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$7.94 LKR 2,667

50.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$6.63 LKR 2,226

-43.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.07 LKR 359

52.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$5.74 LKR 1,929

-52.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.25 LKR 421

79.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.07 LKR 358

79.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.38 LKR 464

65.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.31 LKR 105

241.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.36 LKR 120

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$10.14 LKR 3,407

-67.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$12.48 LKR 4,193

85.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.54 LKR 517

80.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.64 LKR 889

3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.34 LKR 115

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$0.32 LKR 106

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.35 LKR 118

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$0.58 LKR 195

972.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.26 LKR 425

-35.71%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

-1.03%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$34.7K LKR 11.7M

-7.21%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$30.47 LKR 10.2K

157.14%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$3.31 LKR 1,111

22.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$12.24 LKR 4,112

98.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$8.51 LKR 2,861

1058.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$3.40 LKR 1,144

17.35%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$16.81 LKR 5,649

1714.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$137 LKR 45.9K

4764.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$27.31 LKR 9,176

98.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$9.88 LKR 3,322

282.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$67.0 LKR 22.5K

29.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$26.60 LKR 8,939

187.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$98.9 LKR 33.2K

902.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$62.9 LKR 21.2K

968.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$333 LKR 112.1K

912.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$186 LKR 62.4K

1004.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$219 LKR 73.5K

-23.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

32.80%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Gampaha: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $98.9 in Gampaha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gampaha pays 31% 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 $26.00 in Gampaha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $242 per month, with Gampaha 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 Gampaha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Gampaha differ by about 184% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $497 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Gampaha. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $98.9 in Gampaha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $16.81 in Gampaha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Gampaha – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $497 in Gampaha versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gampaha but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Gampaha 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 Gampaha 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 Gampaha 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.