Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Helena, MT

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,348 a month against $3,107 in Helena, MT, rent and utilities included – about $21,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

66

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Helena, MT
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Helena, MT Living Index

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Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,348

/mo nomad

Helena, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$3,107

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Helena, MT

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 Helena, MT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,107 in Helena, MT.

Ubud, Bali $1,348
Helena, MT $3,107

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,312 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,494 in Helena, MT.

Ubud, Bali $2,312
Helena, MT $4,494

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,276 in Ubud, Bali versus $5,882 in Helena, MT.

Ubud, Bali $3,276
Helena, MT $5,882

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 57% less than in Helena, MT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 1% above, Helena, MT 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 59.6K

$21.52 $21.52

-84.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.42 Rp 633.1K

$101 $101

-65.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 Rp 102.9K

$17.96 $17.96

-67.93%

Cappuccino

$2.63 Rp 47.0K

$4.99 $4.99

-47.29%

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

$1.74 Rp 31.0K

$2.21 $2.21

-21.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$1.72 $1.72

-55.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$4.92 $4.92

-44.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.8K

$6.83 $6.83

-33.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

$1.07 $1.07

42.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 Rp 39.2K

$3.71 $3.71

-40.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

$4.45 $4.45

-72.58%

Eggs

$2.14 Rp 38.2K

$3.76 $3.76

-43.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.73 Rp 316.9K

$17.68 $17.68

0.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 Rp 68.9K

$8.78 $8.78

-56.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 Rp 215.0K

$20.13 $20.13

-40.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 Rp 64.5K

$4.58 $4.58

-21.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

$1.82 $1.82

-17.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.4K

$4.62 $4.62

-49.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

$3.98 $3.98

-49.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$2.15 $2.15

-15.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.7K

$1.54 $1.54

55.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

$1.65 $1.65

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,373

$1.56 $1.56

-66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 Rp 39.0K

$10.39 $10.39

-79.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.98 Rp 410.7K

$12.78 $12.78

79.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 Rp 42.8K

$1.69 $1.69

42.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.6K

$2.49 $2.49

20.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,255

$3.58 $3.58

-93.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.99 Rp 125.0K

$59.2 $59.2

-88.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,876

$10.03 $10.03

-95.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,582

$3.33 $3.33

-87.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 Rp 97.4K

$44.80 $44.80

-87.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

$0.99 $0.99

-15.15%

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

$24.3K Rp 434.8M

$36.1K $36.1K

-32.54%

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

$31.9K Rp 570.0M

$31.1K $31.1K

2.56%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$369 $369

-78.11%

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

$6.58 Rp 117.6K

$68.1 $68.1

-90.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.24 Rp 326.1K

$93.0 $93.0

-80.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 Rp 985.4K

$52.0 $52.0

5.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.51 Rp 330.9K

$14.90 $14.90

24.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 75.9K

$12.19 $12.19

-65.22%

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

$486 Rp 8.7M

$1,962 $1,962

-75.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,676 Rp 101.5M

$27.6K $27.6K

-79.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.18 Rp 807.6K

$65.4 $65.4

-30.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 Rp 617.9K

$120 $120

-71.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 Rp 1.4M

$81.0 $81.0

-2.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 Rp 1.4M

$121 $121

-35.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 Rp 20.1M

$1,756 $1,756

-35.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 12.1M

$1,547 $1,547

-56.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,618 Rp 64.7M

$2,940 $2,940

23.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 Rp 31.0M

$2,450 $2,450

-29.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.6M

$3,548 $3,548

-20.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,307 Rp 41.2M

$2,944 $2,944

-21.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 Rp 3.0M

$6,710 $6,710

-97.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.56

110.06%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 5, 2026

Last update for Helena, MT: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ubud, Bali

$674 49.6%

Helena, MT

$1.5K 49.1% 130% $873

Groceries & Markets

Ubud, Bali

$290 21.4%

Helena, MT

$384 12.2% 32.4% $94

Eating Out

Ubud, Bali

$108 8%

Helena, MT

$340 10.8% 214% $232

Clothing & Footwear

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.8%

Helena, MT

$175 5.5% 64% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.8%

Helena, MT

$530 16.8% 402% $425

Sport & Entertainment

Ubud, Bali

$64 4.7%

Helena, MT

$76 2.4% 20.1% $13

Getting Around

Ubud, Bali

$11 0.8%

Helena, MT

$100 3.2% 854% $90

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,127 in Ubud, Bali and $1,756 in Helena, MT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Helena, MT pays 3950% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $101 in Helena, MT for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $384 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🇺🇸 Helena, MT

🕒 Local time

22:21 10:21 PM

08:21 8:21 AM

14 h behind Ubud, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,800

32,091

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,875 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,030 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ubud, Bali Helena, MT 13,860 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Ubud, Bali
Helena, MT

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 Helena, MT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Helena, MT differ by about 130% in total monthly costs ($1,348 vs $3,107 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 3950% lower in Helena, MT. 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: $1,127 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,756 in Helena, MT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $486 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,962 in Helena, MT. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Helena, MT. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,107 in Helena, MT, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Helena, MT. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Helena, MT 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 130% less than in Helena, MT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.