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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,970 in Gelsenkirchen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,884 in Gelsenkirchen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,798 in Gelsenkirchen, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 31% cheaper than Gelsenkirchen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Gelsenkirchen sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 0%, Gelsenkirchen by 44%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Gelsenkirchen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.44 Rp 60.9K
$13.32 €11.61
-74.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.31 Rp 643.0K
$79.7 €69.4
-54.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.71 Rp 101.0K
$10.51 €9.16
-45.67%
Cappuccino
$2.67 Rp 47.3K
$4.66 €4.06
-42.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 Rp 31.0K
$3.95 €3.44
-55.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 Rp 15.4K
$3.36 €2.93
-74.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 Rp 52.3K
$5.61 €4.89
-47.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.52 Rp 80.0K
$4.12 €3.59
9.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Gelsenkirchen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 Rp 28.7K
$1.32 €1.15
22.73%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 Rp 41.3K
$2.31 €2.01
0.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.11 Rp 19.6K
$3.60 €3.13
-69.17%
Eggs
$2.20 Rp 39.0K
$3.60 €3.13
-38.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.69 Rp 313.3K
$14.68 €12.80
20.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.10 Rp 72.5K
$10.91 €9.51
-62.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.18 Rp 215.6K
$25.02 €21.81
-51.32%
Apples (1kg)
$3.71 Rp 65.6K
$3.50 €3.05
6.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 Rp 28.1K
$2.07 €1.81
-23.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.28 Rp 40.4K
$2.19 €1.91
4.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.95 Rp 34.6K
$4.26 €3.71
-54.23%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 33.7K
$1.51 €1.32
26.49%
Onion (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.3K
$1.24 €1.08
87.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 Rp 17.8K
$1.85 €1.61
-45.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 Rp 9,773
$0.94 €0.82
-41.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.23 Rp 39.5K
$10.23 €8.92
-78.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.07 Rp 408.6K
$5.67 €4.94
306.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.42 Rp 42.8K
$1.07 €0.93
126.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 Rp 53.1K
$1.53 €1.33
96.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Gelsenkirchen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,814
$3.89 €3.39
-93.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.98 Rp 159.1K
$72.2 €62.9
-87.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,566
$5.32 €4.64
-90.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,679
$2.26 €1.97
-80.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.64 Rp 99.9K
$35.31 €30.78
-84.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.80 Rp 14.2K
$2.09 €1.83
-61.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.9K Rp 441.7M
$31.6K €27.6K
-21.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 561.5M
$39.9K €34.7K
-20.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Gelsenkirchen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.5 Rp 1.4M
$405 €353
-79.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.49 Rp 115.0K
$26.57 €23.16
-75.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.77 Rp 332.4K
$41.48 €36.16
-54.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Gelsenkirchen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.9 Rp 1.0M
$31.88 €27.79
78.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.73 Rp 331.7K
$29.35 €25.58
-36.18%
Cinema Ticket
$4.54 Rp 80.4K
$9.45 €8.24
-51.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Gelsenkirchen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$481 Rp 8.5M
$227 €198
112.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,711 Rp 101.1M
$19.8K €17.3K
-71.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Gelsenkirchen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.52 Rp 806.0K
$99.0 €86.3
-54.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.88 Rp 635.4K
$39.88 €34.76
-10.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.4 Rp 1.4M
$99.6 €86.8
-19.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.7 Rp 1.4M
$112 €97.3
-29.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Gelsenkirchen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,115 Rp 19.7M
$624 €544
78.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$698 Rp 12.4M
$548 €478
27.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,637 Rp 64.4M
$1,024 €893
255.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,737 Rp 30.8M
$865 €754
100.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,784 Rp 49.3M
$1,711 €1,491
62.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,290 Rp 40.5M
$1,368 €1,192
67.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Gelsenkirchen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$168 Rp 3.0M
$2,275 €1,983
-92.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
3.96
247.98%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Gelsenkirchen: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $624 in Gelsenkirchen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1254% higher in Gelsenkirchen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $80.0 in Gelsenkirchen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $344 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Gelsenkirchen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Gelsenkirchen?
Gelsenkirchen costs about 44% more than Ubud, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ubud, Bali and in Gelsenkirchen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,954 in Gelsenkirchen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Ubud, Bali or Gelsenkirchen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Gelsenkirchen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $80.0 in Gelsenkirchen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Ubud, Bali compared to Gelsenkirchen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $1,970 in Gelsenkirchen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in Gelsenkirchen?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,368, than in Gelsenkirchen at $1,970. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gelsenkirchen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Gelsenkirchen?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,368 versus $1,970 in Gelsenkirchen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Gelsenkirchen?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Ubud, Bali or to Gelsenkirchen?
If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gelsenkirchen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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