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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $459 in Gampaha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $774 in Gampaha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,088 in Gampaha.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 204% more expensive than in Gampaha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Gampaha is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$1.89 LKR 619

78.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$18.03 LKR 5,916

114.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$5.25 LKR 1,723

5.14%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$1.25 LKR 411

111.20%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$0.59 LKR 192

183.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.27 LKR 89.1

185.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$2.10 LKR 689

25.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$3.10 LKR 1,018

38.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.57 LKR 515

-1.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$0.45 LKR 147

393.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$0.74 LKR 244

52.70%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$1.58 LKR 519

32.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$13.04 LKR 4,279

33.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$4.05 LKR 1,329

-4.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

$7.34 LKR 2,407

70.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$6.19 LKR 2,032

-41.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$0.90 LKR 296

73.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$4.35 LKR 1,427

-45.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$1.24 LKR 408

66.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$1.02 LKR 336

86.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.75 LKR 246

212.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.29 LKR 94.1

255.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$0.32 LKR 106

71.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$9.67 LKR 3,173

-76.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$13.32 LKR 4,369

78.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.36 LKR 446

69.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$2.46 LKR 807

13.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.31 LKR 102

-12.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$0.31 LKR 102

54.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.36 LKR 118

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$0.88 LKR 288

550.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.13 LKR 371

-32.74%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

-19.83%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$43.0K LKR 14.1M

-25.28%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$27.91 LKR 9,158

199.36%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$3.10 LKR 1,016

108.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

$10.96 LKR 3,596

73.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

$7.43 LKR 2,438

653.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$4.44 LKR 1,455

-3.60%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$15.53 LKR 5,094

3032.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$120 LKR 39.4K

4772.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$20.29 LKR 6,657

124.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$9.37 LKR 3,074

288.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$60.5 LKR 19.8K

35.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$24.25 LKR 7,955

231.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$90.2 LKR 29.6K

1138.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$55.6 LKR 18.2K

1161.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$307 LKR 100.7K

1051.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$166 LKR 54.6K

959.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$230 LKR 75.4K

-26.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

37.80%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Gampaha: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $90.2 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: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $18.00 in Gampaha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $219 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 204% in total monthly costs ($1,396 vs $459 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 35% 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: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $90.2 in Gampaha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $487 in Ubud, Bali versus $15.53 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 $18.00 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $459 in Gampaha versus $1,396 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 204% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.