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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $332 in Gangtok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $533 in Gangtok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $734 in Gangtok.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 320% more expensive than in Gangtok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Gangtok is 76% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$2.08 ₹197

62.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$11.40 ₹1,077

238.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$3.14 ₹297

75.80%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$1.41 ₹133

87.23%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$0.38 ₹36.16

339.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.14 ₹13.68

450.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$1.75 ₹166

50.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$1.61 ₹152

165.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$0.64 ₹60.3

142.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$0.47 ₹44.86

372.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$0.67 ₹63.2

68.66%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$0.87 ₹82.1

140.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$4.57 ₹432

280.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$2.76 ₹261

40.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$1.85 ₹175

95.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$0.65 ₹61.5

140.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$0.94 ₹88.3

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$0.48 ₹45.05

329.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$0.36 ₹33.64

427.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.37 ₹35.09

532.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.52 ₹49.01

98.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$0.29 ₹27.42

89.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$4.94 ₹467

-54.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$8.13 ₹768

192.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.59 ₹150

45.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$2.66 ₹251

5.26%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.11 ₹483

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.25 ₹23.82

8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

$6.22 ₹588

39.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$0.84 ₹79.1

-42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.25 ₹23.41

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$1.34 ₹127

326.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.09 ₹103

-30.28%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

$11.5K ₹1.1M

112.15%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$18.0K ₹1.7M

78.17%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$35.54 ₹3,358

135.09%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$3.38 ₹320

91.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

$6.46 ₹611

193.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

$20.96 ₹1,980

167.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

$6.22 ₹588

199.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$2.86 ₹270

49.65%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$47.86 ₹4,522

916.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$1,407 ₹133.0K

316.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$21.86 ₹2,066

108.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$22.88 ₹2,162

59.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$37.46 ₹3,539

118.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$28.08 ₹2,653

186.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$72.3 ₹6,828

1445.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$47.91 ₹4,526

1363.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$158 ₹15.0K

2133.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$106 ₹9,999

1565.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$1,042 ₹98.4K

171.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$487 ₹46.1K

370.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$245 ₹23.2K

-30.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.86

55.53%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Gangtok: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $72.3 in Gangtok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gangtok pays 44% 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 $11.00 in Gangtok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $101 per month, with Gangtok 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 Gangtok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gangtok is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 320% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 44% lower in Gangtok. 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 $72.3 in Gangtok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $332 in Gangtok – a 320% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gangtok runs roughly 39% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $332 in Gangtok versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gangtok but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Gangtok the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gangtok 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 Gangtok 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 Gangtok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 320% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.