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 $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $716 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,102 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,488 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 91% more than Island Garden City of Samal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Island Garden City of Samal is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$1.22 ₱77.0

181.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

$17.00 ₱1,068

113.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$3.93 ₱247

45.29%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.14 ₱134

24.77%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.04 ₱65.6

68.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.67 ₱42.37

29.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$1.12 ₱70.1

163.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$1.91 ₱120

136.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.00 ₱126

-19.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.09 ₱68.6

113.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.85 ₱53.2

30.59%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.88 ₱118

17.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

$6.61 ₱415

167.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$4.19 ₱263

-2.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$8.39 ₱527

45.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$2.67 ₱168

38.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.11 ₱69.8

43.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$2.17 ₱137

5.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.16 ₱72.6

68.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$2.08 ₱131

-8.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$3.56 ₱224

-34.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$1.23 ₱77.1

-17.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,791

$0.70 ₱44.27

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$2.53 ₱159

-11.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

$7.87 ₱495

193.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.24 ₱78.1

95.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$1.57 ₱98.9

91.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

$0.29 ₱18.53

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

$10.34 ₱649

-13.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,582

$0.78 ₱48.84

-38.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,693

$0.23 ₱14.35

86.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$1.96 ₱123

187.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.17 ₱73.6

-31.62%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

$21.4K ₱1.3M

16.47%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

$19.2K ₱1.2M

65.57%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$101 ₱6,347

-19.37%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$19.15 ₱1,203

-66.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

$31.83 ₱2,000

-41.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$32.81 ₱2,061

73.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

$4.23 ₱266

342.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$4.70 ₱295

-3.40%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$109 ₱6,846

341.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$7,658 ₱481.1K

-25.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

$31.98 ₱2,009

42.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

$19.21 ₱1,207

86.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$72.0 ₱4,524

11.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$61.1 ₱3,840

28.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$252 ₱15.8K

342.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$155 ₱9,707

351.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$565 ₱35.5K

543.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$300 ₱18.8K

479.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$2,863 ₱179.9K

-2.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$1,092 ₱68.6K

109.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.31

65.82%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $252 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $17.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $194 – 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 91% 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 $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,074 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $716 in Island Garden City of Samal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 15% less in Island Garden City of Samal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Island Garden City of Samal, where all-in costs run around $716, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. 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 $716 versus $1,368 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.