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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,304 in Gulbene, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,023 in Gulbene, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,742 in Gulbene, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 7% more than Gulbene, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Gulbene is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$17.17 €14.77

-80.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$68.8 €59.2

-43.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$9.52 €8.19

-42.02%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$3.83 €3.30

-31.07%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$1.68 €1.44

-0.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$1.25 €1.08

-38.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$5.92 €5.09

-55.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$4.55 €3.91

-5.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.22 €1.05

27.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$1.53 €1.31

45.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$2.65 €2.28

-57.36%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$3.91 €3.36

-46.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$11.02 €9.48

57.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$8.78 €7.56

-55.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

$14.71 €12.66

-14.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$2.25 €1.94

60.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.84 €1.58

-15.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$2.52 €2.17

-6.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$3.24 €2.79

-36.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$0.94 €0.81

102.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.00 €0.86

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$1.78 €1.53

-42.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$1.06 €0.91

-48.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$7.06 €6.07

-68.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$8.28 €7.13

187.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$2.05 €1.77

12.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$2.10 €1.81

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$3.45 €2.97

-86.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.04 €0.89

-56.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$18.26 €15.71

-68.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$2.09 €1.80

-63.64%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

$28.3K €24.4K

-13.49%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$32.2K €27.7K

-0.33%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$383 €330

-78.18%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$21.96 €18.89

-70.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

$20.41 €17.56

-6.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$10.98 €9.45

-61.02%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$643 €553

-24.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$18.1K €15.6K

-67.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$71.7 €61.7

-36.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$50.7 €43.63

-28.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$88.7 €76.4

-7.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$145 €125

-44.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$200 €172

459.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$175 €151

300.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$370 €319

854.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$350 €301

403.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$704 €606

301.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$576 €496

297.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.64

196.98%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Gulbene: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $200 in Gulbene. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $69.0 in Gulbene. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Ubud, Bali vs $279 in Gulbene – so Gulbene wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Gulbene: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, $1,304 in Gulbene – roughly 7% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,956 in Gulbene. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,396 in Ubud, Bali and $1,304 in Gulbene. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $487 per month in Ubud, Bali and $643 in Gulbene. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gulbene, where all-in costs run around $1,304, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. In Gulbene it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,304 in Gulbene to $1,396 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Gulbene. 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.