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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $669 in Guilin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,081 in Guilin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,493 in Guilin, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 112% more than Guilin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Guilin is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$4.14 ¥27.98

-14.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$18.72 ¥127

74.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.3K

$3.42 ¥23.15

44.74%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$2.72 ¥18.38

-0.37%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$0.69 ¥4.69

94.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.27 ¥1.82

159.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$1.02 ¥6.91

186.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$2.04 ¥13.82

94.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$1.37 ¥9.27

32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$1.43 ¥9.68

76.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$0.63 ¥4.25

84.13%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$1.69 ¥11.43

45.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$12.92 ¥87.4

13.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$3.19 ¥21.58

35.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$8.14 ¥55.0

49.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$1.77 ¥11.98

116.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.22 ¥8.24

27.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$1.37 ¥9.27

106.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$1.08 ¥7.31

115.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$0.72 ¥4.89

165.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$0.96 ¥6.51

129.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$0.59 ¥4.01

71.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$0.94 ¥6.37

-17.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$3.11 ¥21.04

6.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.1K

$11.42 ¥77.2

107.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$0.87 ¥5.92

220.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$1.59 ¥10.78

79.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$0.27 ¥1.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

$16.49 ¥112

-51.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,231

$0.93 ¥6.29

-50.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,117

$0.31 ¥2.08

45.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$6.74 ¥45.57

-9.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.13 ¥7.62

-30.09%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$19.2K ¥129.8K

36.26%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.3M

$16.9K ¥114.4K

89.98%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$27.83 ¥188

187.24%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$4.97 ¥33.63

-18.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.2K

$11.52 ¥77.9

104.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$42.22 ¥286

133.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$13.74 ¥92.9

-51.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$4.08 ¥27.57

1.72%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$340 ¥2,298

-10.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$17.0K ¥115.1K

-61.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$43.10 ¥292

28.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$30.82 ¥209

24.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$72.7 ¥492

21.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$74.1 ¥501

5.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.2M

$279 ¥1,886

261.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$191 ¥1,290

254.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$582 ¥3,936

491.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$355 ¥2,399

475.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$1,329 ¥8,988

113.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$1,715 ¥11.6K

32.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$479 ¥3,240

-65.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

3.87

243.15%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Guilin: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $279 in Guilin. 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 190% higher in Guilin, 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $19.00 in Guilin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $192 – making Guilin 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 Guilin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 112%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,003 in Guilin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guilin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $19.00 in Guilin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $669 in Guilin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guilin, where all-in costs run around $669, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Guilin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guilin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Guilin. 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.