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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $495 in Gampaha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $868 in Gampaha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,241 in Gampaha.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 186% more expensive than Gampaha, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$1.63 LKR 539

118.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$25.26 LKR 8,374

29.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$5.08 LKR 1,683

-2.56%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.22 LKR 735

22.07%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.70 LKR 232

91.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.37 LKR 124

89.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.13 LKR 706

37.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$1.64 LKR 545

141.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.73 LKR 573

4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.52 LKR 173

384.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.73 LKR 244

58.90%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.21 LKR 733

11.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$14.25 LKR 4,724

3.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$4.46 LKR 1,478

-3.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$7.93 LKR 2,631

53.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$6.80 LKR 2,254

-43.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.07 LKR 354

45.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$5.67 LKR 1,881

-50.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.25 LKR 414

86.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.07 LKR 354

78.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.34 LKR 445

64.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.35 LKR 115

188.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.38 LKR 126

105.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$10.00 LKR 3,314

-66.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$13.06 LKR 4,332

81.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.53 LKR 508

82.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.66 LKR 883

7.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.31 LKR 104

-12.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$0.32 LKR 106

43.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.32 LKR 107

40.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$0.58 LKR 192

951.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.21 LKR 402

-34.71%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

-3.39%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$34.3K LKR 11.4M

-6.22%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$29.59 LKR 9,812

170.16%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$3.41 LKR 1,131

19.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$12.33 LKR 4,087

90.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$8.60 LKR 2,850

1047.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$3.39 LKR 1,124

22.42%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$16.54 LKR 5,484

1737.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$136 LKR 45.2K

4747.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$28.10 LKR 9,317

97.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$10.08 LKR 3,343

280.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$67.9 LKR 22.5K

30.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$27.03 LKR 8,963

188.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$98.5 LKR 32.7K

921.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$61.5 LKR 20.4K

998.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$341 LKR 113.1K

909.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$187 LKR 61.8K

993.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$223 LKR 74.1K

-26.02%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Gampaha: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $98.5 in Gampaha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gampaha pays 35% 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 Gampaha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $243 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 186% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $495 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Gampaha earns 35% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $98.5 in Gampaha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $16.54 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 $25.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $495 in Gampaha versus $1,419 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 186% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.