Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Guangzhou (Canton) Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Guangzhou (Canton)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $880 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A couple spends around $2,551 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,436 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,992 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 58% more than Guangzhou (Canton), driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Guangzhou (Canton) is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Guangzhou (Canton)
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.40 Rp 60.6K
$2.75 ¥18.62
23.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.38 Rp 577.1K
$22.35 ¥151
44.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.00 Rp 89.1K
$4.97 ¥33.65
0.60%
Cappuccino
$2.82 Rp 50.3K
$3.06 ¥20.70
-7.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 Rp 24.5K
$0.46 ¥3.09
200.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 Rp 13.0K
$0.30 ¥2.00
143.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.98 Rp 53.2K
$1.01 ¥6.82
195.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.97 Rp 70.8K
$1.72 ¥11.62
130.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Guangzhou (Canton)
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.79 Rp 32.0K
$1.99 ¥13.46
-10.05%
White Bread (500g)
$2.46 Rp 43.9K
$2.03 ¥13.75
21.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.20 Rp 21.4K
$1.28 ¥8.67
-6.25%
Eggs
$2.39 Rp 42.6K
$1.50 ¥10.18
59.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.40 Rp 256.6K
$18.71 ¥127
-23.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.28 Rp 76.4K
$4.71 ¥31.87
-9.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.82 Rp 210.6K
$14.36 ¥97.2
-17.69%
Apples (1kg)
$3.78 Rp 67.4K
$2.08 ¥14.08
81.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 Rp 29.1K
$1.24 ¥8.41
31.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.80 Rp 49.9K
$1.94 ¥13.12
44.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 Rp 40.3K
$1.49 ¥10.06
51.68%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 Rp 35.6K
$0.95 ¥6.42
110.53%
Onion (1kg)
$2.21 Rp 39.4K
$1.05 ¥7.07
110.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 Rp 19.1K
$0.55 ¥3.73
94.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 Rp 13.6K
$0.62 ¥4.19
22.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.13 Rp 55.7K
$3.89 ¥26.34
-19.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.81 Rp 424.4K
$10.53 ¥71.3
126.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.84 Rp 50.6K
$0.95 ¥6.44
198.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 Rp 49.5K
$1.39 ¥9.43
100.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Guangzhou (Canton)
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,755
$0.44 ¥2.98
-38.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.37 Rp 149.1K
$25.04 ¥169
-66.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 8,082
$1.69 ¥11.41
-73.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,624
$0.37 ¥2.52
16.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.98 Rp 106.5K
$6.26 ¥42.36
-4.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.80 Rp 14.3K
$1.17 ¥7.89
-31.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.8K Rp 459.9M
$20.8K ¥140.7K
24.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.8K Rp 566.8M
$19.9K ¥134.8K
59.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Guangzhou (Canton)
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.7 Rp 1.4M
$61.2 ¥414
31.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.14 Rp 73.7K
$12.76 ¥86.4
-67.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.12 Rp 429.8K
$11.38 ¥77.0
111.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Guangzhou (Canton)
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$97.8 Rp 1.7M
$42.33 ¥287
130.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.64 Rp 118.4K
$13.88 ¥94.0
-52.16%
Cinema Ticket
$4.04 Rp 71.9K
$6.24 ¥42.20
-35.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Guangzhou (Canton)
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$297 Rp 5.3M
$318 ¥2,153
-6.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,590 Rp 117.4M
$15.8K ¥106.8K
-58.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Guangzhou (Canton)
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.1 Rp 982.6K
$40.22 ¥272
37.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.51 Rp 686.2K
$28.54 ¥193
34.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.1 Rp 1.5M
$70.9 ¥480
21.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.0 Rp 1.4M
$59.9 ¥405
30.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Guangzhou (Canton)
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 Rp 17.6M
$485 ¥3,285
103.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$665 Rp 11.8M
$269 ¥1,821
147.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,446 Rp 61.4M
$1,146 ¥7,756
200.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,042 Rp 36.4M
$622 ¥4,210
228.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,829 Rp 50.4M
$9,136 ¥61.8K
-69.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,282 Rp 40.7M
$3,381 ¥22.9K
-32.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Guangzhou (Canton)
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$169 Rp 3.0M
$1,284 ¥8,689
-86.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
4.08
225.49%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $485 in Guangzhou (Canton). 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 659% higher in Guangzhou (Canton), which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $22.00 in Guangzhou (Canton). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $250 – making Guangzhou (Canton) 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 Guangzhou (Canton): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Ubud, Bali and in Guangzhou (Canton) compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali, $880 in Guangzhou (Canton) – roughly 58% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Ubud, Bali compared to Guangzhou (Canton)?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,091 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,320 in Guangzhou (Canton). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Ubud, Bali and Guangzhou (Canton)?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Guangzhou (Canton), especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ubud, Bali or Guangzhou (Canton)?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,394 in Ubud, Bali and $880 in Guangzhou (Canton). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How do commuting costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Guangzhou (Canton)?
Public transport costs about 199% less in Guangzhou (Canton). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Guangzhou (Canton), where all-in costs run around $880, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,394. In Guangzhou (Canton) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Guangzhou (Canton)?
It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $880 in Guangzhou (Canton) to $1,394 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Ubud, Bali or Guangzhou (Canton) safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Ubud, Bali and Guangzhou (Canton)?
If budget matters most, go with Guangzhou (Canton). If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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