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: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $506 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $824 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,143 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 173% more expensive than in Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, Hikkaduwa is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$4.36 LKR 1,438

-24.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$25.28 LKR 8,341

54.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$7.51 LKR 2,479

-25.17%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.36 LKR 779

11.86%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$0.67 LKR 222

135.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.25 LKR 81.8

184.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$2.25 LKR 744

21.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$2.90 LKR 958

48.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.60 LKR 527

-3.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$0.51 LKR 169

350.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$0.74 LKR 246

39.19%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$1.53 LKR 506

38.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$12.98 LKR 4,283

33.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$4.75 LKR 1,567

-15.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$7.19 LKR 2,373

72.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$6.65 LKR 2,192

-44.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.84 LKR 277

92.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$4.60 LKR 1,517

-50.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$1.22 LKR 402

63.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$0.94 LKR 309

94.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$0.73 LKR 242

208.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$0.92 LKR 302

13.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$0.47 LKR 156

19.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$10.00 LKR 3,298

-77.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$13.17 LKR 4,344

76.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$1.86 LKR 614

28.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$2.65 LKR 875

8.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$0.38 LKR 125

21.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$0.35 LKR 115

31.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$0.90 LKR 297

533.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.26 LKR 415

-39.68%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$30.3K LKR 10.0M

-18.81%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$38.6K LKR 12.7M

-19.53%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$51.8 LKR 17.1K

58.63%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$4.13 LKR 1,363

53.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$20.46 LKR 6,750

-9.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$4.11 LKR 1,354

3.65%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$37.49 LKR 12.4K

1205.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$1,209 LKR 398.7K

379.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$19.71 LKR 6,503

133.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$16.12 LKR 5,319

122.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$80.3 LKR 26.5K

-0.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$42.58 LKR 14.0K

90.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

12.69

8.59%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $25.00 in Hikkaduwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $232 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 173% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,069 in Ubud, Bali and $759 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.

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 $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $506 in Hikkaduwa – a 173% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $506 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,379 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 173% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.