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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,309 in Gwangju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,035 in Gwangju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,760 in Gwangju.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 5% more expensive than in Gwangju, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Gwangju is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$6.09 ₩8,171

-45.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$35.02 ₩47.0K

2.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$5.94 ₩7,961

-5.22%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$3.19 ₩4,272

-11.60%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$1.54 ₩2,061

13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.58 ₩778

37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$2.35 ₩3,152

29.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.40 ₩5,906

-2.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.78 ₩2,382

-9.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$2.46 ₩3,294

-7.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$2.34 ₩3,143

-50.00%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.63 ₩3,521

-17.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$9.09 ₩12.2K

93.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$7.89 ₩10.6K

-48.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$10.96 ₩14.7K

11.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$5.29 ₩7,099

-31.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$2.94 ₩3,943

-44.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$3.76 ₩5,038

-38.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$2.92 ₩3,918

-32.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$3.44 ₩4,611

-46.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.83 ₩2,460

29.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$2.08 ₩2,795

-49.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$1.27 ₩1,708

-57.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$3.41 ₩4,578

-32.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$11.10 ₩14.9K

107.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.45 ₩1,941

61.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.19 ₩2,942

40.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$1.00 ₩1,335

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$66.5 ₩89.2K

-85.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$2.99 ₩4,014

-83.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.62 ₩838

-24.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$7.76 ₩10.4K

-27.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.22 ₩1,630

-33.61%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$28.1K ₩37.7M

-10.99%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$34.9K ₩46.9M

-11.11%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$207 ₩277.6K

-60.04%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$43.65 ₩58.5K

-85.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$21.13 ₩28.3K

-11.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$58.8 ₩78.9K

-6.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$10.49 ₩14.1K

73.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$11.31 ₩15.2K

-61.98%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$301 ₩403.2K

64.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$17.4K ₩23.3M

-65.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$30.98 ₩41.5K

49.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$26.13 ₩35.0K

39.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$63.8 ₩85.6K

26.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$90.0 ₩120.7K

-12.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$506 ₩679.2K

119.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$360 ₩482.2K

92.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$1,167 ₩1.6M

211.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$732 ₩981.2K

134.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$7,825 ₩10.5M

-64.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$6,331 ₩8.5M

-63.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$2,873 ₩3.9M

-94.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

3.6

282.78%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Gwangju: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $506 in Gwangju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 1619% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $35.00 in Gwangju. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $307, with Ubud, Bali cheaper for home cooking.

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 Gwangju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gwangju is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1619% lower in Gwangju. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $506 in Gwangju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Gwangju – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,309 in Gwangju – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,309 in Gwangju versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gwangju but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Gwangju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gwangju is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Gwangju are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gwangju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.