Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Island Garden City of Samal Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Island Garden City of Samal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $719 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,097 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,476 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 100% more than Island Garden City of Samal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Island Garden City of Samal is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

$1.31 ₱80.2

172.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

$12.51 ₱765

160.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

$4.47 ₱274

13.42%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

$2.13 ₱131

32.86%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

$0.81 ₱49.69

65.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.53 ₱32.45

30.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

$1.45 ₱88.8

106.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

$1.82 ₱111

111.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

$1.21 ₱74.3

43.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

$0.60 ₱36.60

323.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.69 ₱42.18

72.46%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

$2.05 ₱126

18.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

$5.88 ₱360

149.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

$3.25 ₱199

28.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

$5.27 ₱323

126.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

$2.89 ₱177

27.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.13 ₱69.4

42.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

$2.29 ₱140

17.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

$1.27 ₱77.6

83.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

$2.30 ₱141

-16.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

$1.58 ₱96.4

38.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.90 ₱55.3

17.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.50 ₱30.46

44.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

$2.63 ₱161

19.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

$8.18 ₱500

187.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

$1.24 ₱76.0

120.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

$1.22 ₱74.5

136.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,010

$0.28 ₱17.21

3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,834

$0.69 ₱42.16

-34.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,278

$0.09 ₱5.78

366.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

$2.17 ₱132

183.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

$1.15 ₱70.1

-26.96%

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

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

$21.9K ₱1.3M

19.57%

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

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

56.36%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$100 ₱6,125

-21.67%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

$34.22 ₱2,094

-88.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

$36.41 ₱2,227

-32.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$34.49 ₱2,110

179.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

$4.36 ₱267

45.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

$4.39 ₱268

-7.97%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$120 ₱7,321

152.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

$4,354 ₱266.4K

49.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

$46.40 ₱2,839

16.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

$29.67 ₱1,815

28.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$76.4 ₱4,672

13.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$69.2 ₱4,235

13.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$262 ₱16.0K

286.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.6M

$176 ₱10.8K

283.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

$595 ₱36.4K

470.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

$402 ₱24.6K

422.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

$2,083 ₱127.5K

43.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.56

38.91%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $262 in Island Garden City of Samal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $13.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $160 – making Island Garden City of Samal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Island Garden City of Samal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 100% more than Island Garden City of Samal, 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 $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,078 in Island Garden City of Samal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $13.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 86% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Island Garden City of Samal, where all-in costs run around $719, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In Island Garden City of Samal 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. Island Garden City of Samal costs $719 versus $1,438 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 Island Garden City of Samal. 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.