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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $363 in Gangtok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $582 in Gangtok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $802 in Gangtok.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 288% more expensive than in Gangtok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Gangtok is 73% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

$2.51 ₹242

37.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 579.0K

$12.84 ₹1,236

151.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

$3.81 ₹367

27.03%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$1.54 ₹148

78.57%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.42 ₹40.69

228.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$0.14 ₹13.86

435.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.6K

$0.95 ₹91.2

214.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

$1.76 ₹169

118.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$0.79 ₹76.3

120.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

$0.49 ₹46.78

402.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$0.73 ₹70.1

60.27%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

$1.37 ₹132

77.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 259.7K

$3.58 ₹345

305.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 77.9K

$3.51 ₹337

23.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.5K

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.6K

$2.36 ₹227

57.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$0.79 ₹76.4

106.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

$0.97 ₹93.5

182.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

$0.73 ₹69.8

206.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

$0.60 ₹57.9

220.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

$0.56 ₹53.6

307.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

$0.45 ₹43.69

135.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.57 ₹54.4

26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

$4.22 ₹406

-22.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 415.3K

$7.33 ₹705

216.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

$0.90 ₹87.0

208.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

$2.12 ₹204

28.77%

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

$3.38 ₹326

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,768

$0.30 ₹29.29

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.1K

$8.65 ₹832

-6.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,643

$0.77 ₹74.1

-37.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,517

$0.32 ₹31.10

31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.4K

$1.42 ₹137

338.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.21 ₹117

-33.06%

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

$26.6K Rp 476.4M

$13.8K ₹1.3M

92.31%

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

$32.2K Rp 576.3M

$22.0K ₹2.1M

46.07%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$25.91 ₹2,493

202.39%

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

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

$3.42 ₹329

19.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 435.5K

$6.88 ₹662

253.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$23.32 ₹2,244

322.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.4K

$6.92 ₹665

-8.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.4K

$4.64 ₹446

-14.01%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$27.93 ₹2,688

992.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 118.9M

$1,510 ₹145.3K

339.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 969.3K

$25.71 ₹2,474

110.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 676.9K

$17.57 ₹1,691

115.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$57.7 ₹5,549

50.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$34.53 ₹3,322

121.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$79.2 ₹7,621

1152.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.0M

$53.3 ₹5,130

1161.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

$172 ₹16.5K

1863.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

$117 ₹11.3K

1648.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

$1,104 ₹106.3K

153.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$561 ₹54.0K

297.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$236 ₹22.7K

-29.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

8.67

53.17%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Gangtok: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $79.2 in Gangtok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gangtok pays 41% 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 $13.00 in Gangtok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $108 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, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 288% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 41% 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $79.2 in Gangtok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $363 in Gangtok – a 288% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gangtok runs roughly 7% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $363 in Gangtok versus $1,408 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 288% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.