Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Houghton, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,353 a month against $2,736 in Houghton, MI, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,353
/mo nomad
Houghton, MI
🇺🇸 United States
$2,736
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Houghton, MI

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 Houghton, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,353 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,736 in Houghton, MI.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,353
  • Houghton, MI $2,736

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,593 in Houghton, MI.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,297
  • Houghton, MI $3,593

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,241 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,449 in Houghton, MI.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,241
  • Houghton, MI $4,449

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 51% less than in Houghton, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, Houghton, MI 102% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Houghton, MI
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.23 Rp 58.1K
$13.78 $13.78
-76.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.88 Rp 627.8K
$39.55 $39.55
-11.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.70 Rp 102.5K
$10.37 $10.37
-45.03%
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.1K
$4.13 $4.13
-36.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
$2.78 $2.78
-38.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$1.62 $1.62
-50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
$5.94 $5.94
-55.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
$7.38 $7.38
-40.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Houghton, MI
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$1.00 $1.00
57.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 Rp 39.5K
$4.18 $4.18
-47.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$6.34 $6.34
-81.39%
Eggs
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
$3.94 $3.94
-45.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.65 Rp 317.7K
$12.31 $12.31
43.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.78 Rp 68.0K
$10.79 $10.79
-64.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.95 Rp 215.1K
$10.97 $10.97
8.93%
Apples (1kg)
$3.60 Rp 64.8K
$5.09 $5.09
-29.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 Rp 28.6K
$1.18 $1.18
34.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 41.6K
$4.25 $4.25
-45.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
$4.77 $4.77
-59.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
$2.80 $2.80
-36.43%
Onion (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.9K
$3.01 $3.01
-22.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
$2.21 $2.21
-54.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,509
$1.47 $1.47
-63.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
$10.18 $10.18
-77.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.07 Rp 397.3K
$14.99 $14.99
47.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
$1.95 $1.95
20.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 Rp 53.6K
$3.28 $3.28
-9.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Houghton, MI
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 Rp 4,112
$2.03 $2.03
-88.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.90 Rp 160.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 Rp 8,466
$3.02 $3.02
-84.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,737
$1.49 $1.49
-71.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.47 Rp 98.4K
$29.22 $29.22
-81.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
$0.81 $0.81
2.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.9K Rp 429.8M
$25.1K $25.1K
-5.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K Rp 590.1M
$25.4K $25.4K
29.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Houghton, MI
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
$280 $280
-71.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.56 Rp 118.1K
$57.6 $57.6
-88.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.60 Rp 334.8K
$69.1 $69.1
-73.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Houghton, MI
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 Rp 974.1K
$36.96 $36.96
46.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.28 Rp 329.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.25 Rp 76.5K
$14.18 $14.18
-70.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Houghton, MI
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
$1,249 $1,249
-60.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,597 Rp 100.7M
$22.9K $22.9K
-75.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Houghton, MI
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.58 Rp 820.4K
$53.7 $53.7
-15.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.96 Rp 629.4K
$41.58 $41.58
-15.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
$87.0 $87.0
-10.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
$108 $108
-27.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Houghton, MI
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,131 Rp 20.4M
$1,833 $1,833
-38.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.1M
$1,484 $1,484
-54.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,613 Rp 65.0M
$2,318 $2,318
55.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,702 Rp 30.6M
$1,967 $1,967
-13.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,717 Rp 48.9M
$1,546 $1,546
75.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
$1,550 $1,550
44.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Houghton, MI
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
$2,603 $2,603
-93.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
6.57
109.74%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Last update for Houghton, MI: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$673
Houghton, MI
$1.5K 121% $812
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$287
Houghton, MI
$377 31.4% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$107
Houghton, MI
$131 22.7% $24
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
Houghton, MI
$253 138% $147
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$105
Houghton, MI
$407 287% $302
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$63
Houghton, MI
$65 4.3% $2.7
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
Houghton, MI
$19 * 49.4% $6.1

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,131 in Ubud, Bali and $1,833 in Houghton, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houghton, MI pays 1465% 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 $40.00 in Houghton, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $377 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇺🇸 Houghton, MI
🕒 Local time
23:07 11:07 PM
11:07 11:07 AM
12 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
8,000
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Houghton, MI 15,170 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Houghton, MI

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 Houghton, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Houghton, MI cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ubud, Bali or Houghton, MI?
On paper, salaries run 1465% lower in Houghton, MI. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Ubud, Bali and Houghton, MI?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,131 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,833 in Houghton, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Houghton, MI?
Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Houghton, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Ubud, Bali and in Houghton, MI?
All in, you'll spend $1,353 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $2,736 in Houghton, MI – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Ubud, Bali or in Houghton, MI?
At $1,353 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,736 in Houghton, MI, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Houghton, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ubud, Bali or Houghton, MI more family-friendly?
For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Houghton, MI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or Houghton, MI?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Houghton, MI are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Houghton, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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