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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $730 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,115 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,500 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 92% more than Island Garden City of Samal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% 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 64.0K

$1.31 ₱79.7

172.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$12.47 ₱757

160.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$4.62 ₱281

5.19%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.10 ₱128

30.95%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.86 ₱52.5

53.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.53 ₱31.97

32.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$1.44 ₱87.7

102.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$1.75 ₱107

116.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.27 ₱76.9

34.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.56 ₱33.90

341.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$0.73 ₱44.25

64.38%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.05 ₱125

19.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$6.16 ₱374

133.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$3.23 ₱196

33.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$5.07 ₱308

140.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$3.00 ₱182

22.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.19 ₱72.0

30.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$2.40 ₱146

16.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.21 ₱73.5

92.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$2.30 ₱140

-14.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.57 ₱95.5

47.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.86 ₱52.3

23.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.46 ₱28.21

58.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$2.72 ₱165

20.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$8.05 ₱489

183.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.29 ₱78.5

117.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.22 ₱73.9

127.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.26 ₱15.75

11.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.74 ₱45.17

-39.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.09 ₱5.32

400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$2.15 ₱130

190.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.13 ₱68.7

-24.78%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$22.4K ₱1.4M

16.01%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

52.20%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$98.6 ₱5,988

-18.12%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$34.44 ₱2,091

-88.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$35.79 ₱2,173

-31.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$34.45 ₱2,092

183.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$4.41 ₱268

46.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$4.49 ₱273

-10.02%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$120 ₱7,290

153.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$4,293 ₱260.7K

54.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$46.46 ₱2,821

16.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$30.34 ₱1,842

27.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$78.1 ₱4,744

10.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$68.5 ₱4,160

11.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$269 ₱16.3K

266.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$177 ₱10.7K

272.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$598 ₱36.3K

463.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$400 ₱24.3K

416.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$2,192 ₱133.1K

25.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$964 ₱58.5K

131.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $269 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 $12.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $161 – 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 92% 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 $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,095 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 $12.00 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 84% 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 $730, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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 $730 versus $1,404 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.