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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $344 in Ismailia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $582 in Ismailia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $819 in Ismailia.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 312% more expensive than Ismailia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Ismailia is 74% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Ismailia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.56 Rp 63.9K
$3.58 E£186
-0.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.73 Rp 586.8K
$15.66 E£813
109.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.95 Rp 88.7K
$4.50 E£234
10.00%
Cappuccino
$2.71 Rp 48.6K
$0.95 E£49.38
185.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 Rp 24.1K
$0.27 E£13.84
396.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 Rp 12.5K
$0.11 E£5.62
536.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 Rp 52.3K
$1.20 E£62.3
143.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 Rp 70.9K
$1.96 E£102
102.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Ismailia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 Rp 32.4K
$0.85 E£44.28
112.94%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 Rp 45.1K
$0.41 E£21.35
514.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 Rp 20.8K
$0.66 E£34.11
75.76%
Eggs
$2.46 Rp 44.1K
$1.40 E£72.5
75.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.71 Rp 263.7K
$3.01 E£156
388.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.32 Rp 77.4K
$3.72 E£193
16.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.14 Rp 217.5K
$7.78 E£404
56.04%
Apples (1kg)
$3.84 Rp 68.8K
$1.46 E£76.0
163.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 Rp 27.9K
$0.54 E£28.01
188.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.83 Rp 50.8K
$0.41 E£21.36
590.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.7K
$0.29 E£14.90
703.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
$0.37 E£19.45
416.22%
Onion (1kg)
$2.20 Rp 39.5K
$0.41 E£21.39
436.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 Rp 18.2K
$0.19 E£9.75
431.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 Rp 13.9K
$0.17 E£8.61
358.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.32 Rp 59.4K
$1.63 E£84.6
103.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.74 Rp 425.5K
$5.85 E£303
305.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 Rp 50.0K
$1.02 E£53.1
173.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 Rp 51.3K
$1.95 E£101
46.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Ismailia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,819
$0.25 E£12.93
8.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.03 Rp 143.9K
$4.04 E£210
98.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.46 Rp 8,181
$0.33 E£17.19
39.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 8,068
$0.45 E£23.58
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.10 Rp 109.3K
$1.94 E£101
214.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
$0.33 E£17.32
139.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K Rp 468.8M
$30.1K E£1.6M
-13.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K Rp 575.8M
$16.1K E£835.7K
99.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Ismailia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
$11.33 E£588
605.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.06 Rp 72.9K
$5.68 E£295
-28.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52 Rp 421.6K
$7.72 E£401
204.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Ismailia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.7 Rp 1.8M
$11.67 E£606
745.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.63 Rp 118.8K
$19.66 E£1,020
-66.28%
Cinema Ticket
$4.15 Rp 74.3K
$2.01 E£104
106.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Ismailia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$304 Rp 5.4M
$86.9 E£4,509
249.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,613 Rp 118.5M
$1,214 E£63.0K
444.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Ismailia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.5 Rp 995.6K
$12.65 E£657
339.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.31 Rp 686.7K
$10.12 E£525
278.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.6 Rp 1.6M
$107 E£5,537
-16.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
$49.96 E£2,593
55.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Ismailia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 Rp 18.0M
$89.7 E£4,653
1022.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$675 Rp 12.1M
$39.40 E£2,045
1614.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,442 Rp 61.7M
$142 E£7,384
2319.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,039 Rp 36.6M
$88.5 E£4,591
2205.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,841 Rp 50.9M
$485 E£25.2K
485.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,264 Rp 40.6M
$133 E£6,897
1603.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Ismailia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
$107 E£5,570
53.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
17
-21.88%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ismailia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $89.7 in Ismailia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 54% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $16.00 in Ismailia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $111 per month, with Ismailia cheaper across the board.

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 Ismailia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Ismailia?
Ismailia wins on cost – living expenses run 312% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ismailia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or Ismailia?
Ubud, Bali pays 54% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali vs Ismailia?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $89.7 in Ismailia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and Ismailia?
Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $86.9 in Ismailia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or Ismailia?
Supermarket bills run roughly 172% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or Ismailia?
At $344 in Ismailia versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ismailia but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Ismailia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Ismailia?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ismailia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $344 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ismailia hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Ismailia?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Ismailia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ismailia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 312% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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