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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,374 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,138 in Hsinchu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,313 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,943 in Hsinchu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,252 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,748 in Hsinchu, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 21% more than Hsinchu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Hsinchu is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$4.17 NT$133

-20.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.33 Rp 631.4K

$28.42 NT$906

24.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 Rp 95.3K

$4.58 NT$146

16.38%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$3.05 NT$97.2

-9.84%

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

$1.73 Rp 30.9K

$0.97 NT$30.87

78.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$0.73 NT$23.19

9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.7K

$1.85 NT$58.8

59.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 Rp 79.3K

$2.26 NT$71.9

96.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$2.83 NT$90.1

-47.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.1K

$1.73 NT$55.0

32.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 Rp 19.6K

$2.95 NT$94.1

-62.71%

Eggs

$2.16 Rp 38.6K

$2.77 NT$88.2

-22.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 Rp 305.4K

$36.07 NT$1,150

-52.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.3K

$6.85 NT$218

-43.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 Rp 213.0K

$20.72 NT$660

-42.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 Rp 63.7K

$2.75 NT$87.5

29.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$2.57 NT$81.9

-38.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 42.2K

$3.32 NT$106

-28.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.1K

$3.11 NT$99.2

-36.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$2.31 NT$73.8

-21.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.7K

$2.35 NT$74.8

1.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.2K

$2.09 NT$66.5

-51.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,782

$1.34 NT$42.75

-63.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$4.00 NT$127

-43.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.30 Rp 398.5K

$12.39 NT$395

79.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 Rp 42.3K

$1.99 NT$63.4

19.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 51.7K

$2.35 NT$74.9

23.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,452

$0.65 NT$20.72

-61.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.55 Rp 152.8K

$41.02 NT$1,307

-79.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,897

$3.12 NT$99.4

-85.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,547

$0.30 NT$9.49

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 Rp 101.2K

$10.21 NT$325

-44.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.03 NT$32.86

-21.36%

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

$23.7K Rp 424.2M

$33.2K NT$1.1M

-28.55%

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

$31.0K Rp 553.6M

$26.4K NT$842.3K

17.20%

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

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$102 NT$3,264

-19.63%

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

$6.30 Rp 112.6K

$19.39 NT$618

-67.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.63 Rp 333.0K

$21.64 NT$690

-13.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 Rp 978.1K

$52.4 NT$1,669

4.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 Rp 329.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 75.8K

$10.17 NT$324

-58.31%

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

$484 Rp 8.7M

$756 NT$24.1K

-35.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,590 Rp 99.9M

$16.7K NT$530.6K

-66.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.77 Rp 818.0K

$57.8 NT$1,842

-20.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 Rp 637.9K

$35.43 NT$1,129

0.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$77.3 NT$2,463

1.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

$107 NT$3,417

-25.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 Rp 20.5M

$431 NT$13.7K

166.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 Rp 12.1M

$264 NT$8,413

156.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 Rp 62.6M

$1,110 NT$35.4K

215.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 Rp 30.2M

$753 NT$24.0K

124.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 Rp 49.8M

$8,237 NT$262.5K

-66.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,257 Rp 40.3M

$6,061 NT$193.2K

-62.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 2.9M

$2,517 NT$80.2K

-93.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

2.13

546.95%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 28, 2026

Last update for Hsinchu: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,147 in Ubud, Bali versus $431 in Hsinchu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1425% higher in Hsinchu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $28.00 in Hsinchu. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Ubud, Bali vs $406 in Hsinchu – so Ubud, Bali wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Hsinchu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 21% more than Hsinchu, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,062 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,708 in Hsinchu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hsinchu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 380% less in Hsinchu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $484 per month in Ubud, Bali and $756 in Hsinchu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hsinchu, where all-in costs run around $1,138, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,374. In Hsinchu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hsinchu costs $1,138 versus $1,374 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hsinchu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.