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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $582 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,102 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,621 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 147% more expensive than Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Hikkaduwa is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$4.04 LKR 1,287

-11.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$25.16 LKR 8,024

29.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$8.40 LKR 2,680

-39.64%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.65 LKR 844

6.79%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.70 LKR 222

91.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.32 LKR 101

115.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.30 LKR 733

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$3.26 LKR 1,040

18.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.67 LKR 533

4.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.55 LKR 177

361.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.81 LKR 257

46.91%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.20 LKR 702

10.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$13.96 LKR 4,453

5.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$4.71 LKR 1,502

-11.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$7.95 LKR 2,534

50.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$7.41 LKR 2,364

-50.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$0.32 LKR 101

403.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.76 LKR 880

-2.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.02 LKR 325

128.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.11 LKR 355

72.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.36 LKR 115

508.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.18 LKR 377

-10.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.55 LKR 177

30.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$10.19 LKR 3,249

-69.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$12.31 LKR 3,927

90.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.10 LKR 670

30.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.99 LKR 955

-3.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.32 LKR 102

-9.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.39 LKR 124

15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.33 LKR 105

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$0.57 LKR 183

980.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.26 LKR 401

-33.33%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$26.3K LKR 8.4M

-0.16%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

-4.93%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$59.4 LKR 18.9K

32.02%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$4.22 LKR 1,345

-6.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$15.01 LKR 4,788

62.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$3.40 LKR 1,086

18.82%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$37.48 LKR 12.0K

707.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$448 LKR 142.9K

1355.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$27.91 LKR 8,902

92.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$19.04 LKR 6,071

99.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$69.8 LKR 22.2K

24.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$38.27 LKR 12.2K

106.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$170 LKR 54.2K

495.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$82.5 LKR 26.3K

717.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$1,663 LKR 530.2K

103.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$512 LKR 163.2K

309.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

16.45

-19.27%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $170 in Hikkaduwa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $25.00 in Hikkaduwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $235 per month, with Hikkaduwa cheaper across the board.

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 Hikkaduwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hikkaduwa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 147% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,158 in Ubud, Bali and $874 in Hikkaduwa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $170 in Hikkaduwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $582 in Hikkaduwa – a 147% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $582 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Hikkaduwa but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Hikkaduwa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hikkaduwa 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 Hikkaduwa 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 Hikkaduwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 147% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.