Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Gongju

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,331 a month against $1,522 in Gongju, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. The total is higher in Gongju despite lower rent and utilities.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Gongju, South Korea
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,331
/mo nomad
Gongju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,522
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Gongju

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Gongju actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,331 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,522 in Gongju, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,331
  • Gongju $1,522

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,522 in Gongju, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,255
  • Gongju $2,522

A family of three spends $3,180 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,522 in Gongju, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,180
  • Gongju $3,522

Ubud, Bali is about 13% cheaper than Gongju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% below the global median, while Gongju is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Gongju
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.38 Rp 61.2K
$7.24 ₩9,708
-53.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.65 Rp 628.6K
$47.72 ₩64.0K
-27.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.57 Rp 101.1K
$6.68 ₩8,956
-16.62%
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.5K
$3.70 ₩4,961
-29.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
$1.80 ₩2,417
-14.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 Rp 11.6K
$1.38 ₩1,850
-53.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.67 Rp 48.4K
$3.65 ₩4,898
-26.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.26 Rp 77.3K
$4.18 ₩5,606
1.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Gongju
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 Rp 26.5K
$2.34 ₩3,132
-37.61%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 Rp 41.6K
$3.22 ₩4,320
-28.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.11 Rp 20.1K
$3.03 ₩4,061
-63.37%
Eggs
$2.10 Rp 38.1K
$2.68 ₩3,590
-21.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.94 Rp 289.2K
$10.83 ₩14.5K
47.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.88 Rp 70.4K
$10.45 ₩14.0K
-62.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.40 Rp 206.8K
$24.97 ₩33.5K
-54.35%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 Rp 64.4K
$11.02 ₩14.8K
-67.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
$3.65 ₩4,895
-57.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.5K
$8.16 ₩10.9K
-72.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.8K
$6.03 ₩8,082
-67.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 Rp 33.7K
$5.80 ₩7,773
-67.93%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 Rp 43.9K
$3.25 ₩4,350
-25.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 Rp 18.6K
$2.86 ₩3,828
-64.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 Rp 9,475
$1.27 ₩1,705
-59.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.20 Rp 39.9K
$3.41 ₩4,575
-35.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.79 Rp 395.2K
$18.26 ₩24.5K
19.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.33 Rp 42.2K
$2.38 ₩3,185
-2.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 53.9K
$3.60 ₩4,827
-17.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Gongju
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,542
$1.20 ₩1,605
-79.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.17 Rp 148.3K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,941
$3.64 ₩4,875
-87.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 Rp 8,489
$0.67 ₩895
-29.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.60 Rp 101.6K
$14.65 ₩19.6K
-61.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
$1.39 ₩1,868
-40.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4K Rp 443.5M
$39.8K ₩53.3M
-38.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 575.0M
$33.7K ₩45.1M
-5.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Gongju
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.5 Rp 1.4M
$200 ₩268.6K
-61.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.14 Rp 111.5K
$36.89 ₩49.5K
-83.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.92 Rp 343.1K
$26.87 ₩36.0K
-29.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Gongju
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 Rp 925.0K
$58.3 ₩78.1K
-12.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.25 Rp 331.0K
$15.41 ₩20.7K
18.43%
Cinema Ticket
$4.38 Rp 79.5K
$11.77 ₩15.8K
-62.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Gongju
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$492 Rp 8.9M
$636 ₩853.1K
-22.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.2K Rp 221.7M
$21.6K ₩28.9M
-43.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Gongju
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.16 Rp 819.2K
$105 ₩140.8K
-57.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.89 Rp 632.9K
$64.5 ₩86.4K
-45.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.3 Rp 1.4M
$92.4 ₩123.9K
-15.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
$128 ₩171.6K
-39.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Gongju
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 Rp 19.5M
$424 ₩567.9K
154.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$665 Rp 12.1M
$343 ₩459.4K
94.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,510 Rp 63.7M
$1,406 ₩1.9M
149.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,671 Rp 30.3M
$936 ₩1.3M
78.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,340 Rp 42.4M
$6,877 ₩9.2M
-65.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,236 Rp 40.6M
$5,486 ₩7.4M
-59.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Gongju
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
$1,309 ₩1.8M
-87.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
4.22
226.54%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: November 1, 2026

Last update for Gongju: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$665
Gongju
$343 48.5% $322
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$279
Gongju
$484 73.2% $205
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$106
Gongju
$175 65% $69
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
Gongju
$162 53% $56
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$103
Gongju
$264 158% $162
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$60
Gongju
$82 36.9% $22
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
Gongju
$12 * 1.6% $0.2

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,078 in Ubud, Bali versus $424 in Gongju. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Gongju are about 7.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35 in Ubud, Bali versus $48 in Gongju. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 vs $484 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇰🇷 Gongju
🕒 Local time
21:23 9:23 PM
22:23 10:23 PM
1 h ahead of Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
110,428
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18,140 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,384 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.91 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1,341 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,506 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Gongju 5,150 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Gongju

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Gongju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Ubud, Bali and in Gongju compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,331 in Ubud, Bali, $1,522 in Gongju – Ubud, Bali comes out roughly 13% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Ubud, Bali compared to Gongju?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,996 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,283 in Gongju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Ubud, Bali and Gongju?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gongju, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $424 there versus $1,078 in Ubud, Bali.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ubud, Bali or Gongju?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,331 in Ubud, Bali and $1,522 in Gongju. That makes Ubud, Bali about 13% cheaper.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ubud, Bali and Gongju?
Kindergarten costs $492 per month in Ubud, Bali and $636 in Gongju. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is feasible on a $1,000 budget?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,331 in Ubud, Bali and $1,522 in Gongju. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Gongju?
It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,331 in Ubud, Bali to $1,522 in Gongju. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Ubud, Bali or Gongju safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
How do I decide between Ubud, Bali and Gongju?
If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gongju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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