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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $587 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,120 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,653 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 139% more expensive than Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Hikkaduwa is 56% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$3.93 LKR 1,311

-9.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$24.89 LKR 8,302

30.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$8.56 LKR 2,855

-43.22%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.64 LKR 879

4.17%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.72 LKR 242

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.34 LKR 114

105.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.31 LKR 769

25.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.31 LKR 1,103

14.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.75 LKR 582

-2.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.53 LKR 176

366.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$0.81 LKR 270

48.15%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.21 LKR 737

10.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$14.05 LKR 4,688

2.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$4.56 LKR 1,522

-5.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$7.92 LKR 2,641

54.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$7.50 LKR 2,501

-50.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$0.34 LKR 114

355.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$2.61 LKR 870

6.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$0.98 LKR 327

137.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.11 LKR 371

77.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$0.36 LKR 120

541.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.15 LKR 385

-7.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.56 LKR 188

30.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$9.94 LKR 3,314

-67.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$12.77 LKR 4,259

78.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$2.02 LKR 674

39.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.84 LKR 949

-2.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.32 LKR 106

-9.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.38 LKR 127

18.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.33 LKR 109

36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$0.61 LKR 204

922.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.21 LKR 404

-29.75%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$26.5K LKR 8.8M

-2.03%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

-10.14%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$59.7 LKR 19.9K

35.26%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$4.34 LKR 1,449

-6.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$15.42 LKR 5,144

58.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$3.27 LKR 1,091

23.55%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$36.65 LKR 12.2K

729.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$444 LKR 148.3K

1389.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$27.54 LKR 9,185

96.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$19.60 LKR 6,537

97.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$68.8 LKR 22.9K

25.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$39.26 LKR 13.1K

95.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$167 LKR 55.8K

488.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$84.8 LKR 28.3K

675.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$1,685 LKR 561.9K

100.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$509 LKR 169.7K

305.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $167 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 $297 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 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,106 in Ubud, Bali and $881 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $167 in Hikkaduwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $587 in Hikkaduwa – a 139% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $587 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,404 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 139% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.