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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $707 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,099 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,491 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 97% more than Island Garden City of Samal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Island Garden City of Samal is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.2K

$1.36 ₱83.0

162.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 581.3K

$12.36 ₱752

161.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.0K

$4.57 ₱278

9.63%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.8K

$2.03 ₱124

38.92%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.3K

$0.86 ₱52.4

56.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.52 ₱31.76

40.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 52.8K

$1.38 ₱84.2

112.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 70.8K

$1.80 ₱109

118.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

$1.26 ₱76.7

41.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

$0.55 ₱33.64

345.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.73 ₱44.62

57.53%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.4K

$2.08 ₱127

15.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 257.7K

$5.87 ₱357

144.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.3K

$3.25 ₱198

28.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 216.9K

$5.17 ₱315

133.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.4K

$2.98 ₱181

22.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

$1.18 ₱72.1

33.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.1K

$2.37 ₱144

17.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.26 ₱76.9

77.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.6K

$2.29 ₱140

-13.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.0K

$1.63 ₱99.3

39.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.91 ₱55.2

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.46 ₱27.89

71.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.4K

$2.68 ₱163

19.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 422.5K

$8.02 ₱488

192.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.1K

$1.24 ₱75.7

133.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.6K

$1.21 ₱73.4

128.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,795

$0.28 ₱17.16

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 150.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,136

$0.68 ₱41.53

-33.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,267

$0.09 ₱5.19

411.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.2K

$2.14 ₱130

183.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.10 ₱66.7

-21.82%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$22.2K ₱1.4M

19.58%

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

$32.5K Rp 585.4M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

53.92%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$99.0 ₱6,026

-20.17%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.6K

$33.65 ₱2,049

-87.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 428.9K

$36.59 ₱2,228

-34.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$33.85 ₱2,061

191.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.3K

$4.39 ₱267

44.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.1K

$4.46 ₱271

-10.09%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$118 ₱7,178

152.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 118.7M

$4,260 ₱259.4K

54.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 960.9K

$44.98 ₱2,738

18.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 685.5K

$29.81 ₱1,815

27.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$77.4 ₱4,715

14.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$68.6 ₱4,176

11.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.3M

$267 ₱16.2K

282.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.2M

$180 ₱10.9K

278.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.4M

$598 ₱36.4K

479.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.6M

$388 ₱23.6K

438.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.1M

$2,582 ₱157.2K

5.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.3M

$857 ₱52.2K

167.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $267 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $12.00 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 97% 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 $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,060 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 $32.00 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 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 $707, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. 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 $707 versus $1,392 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.