Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Jacksonville, NC Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Jacksonville, NC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,551 in Jacksonville, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,314 in Jacksonville, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,077 in Jacksonville, NC.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 45% less than in Jacksonville, NC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 4% above, Jacksonville, NC 90% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Jacksonville, NC
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.57 Rp 64.7K
$17.69 $17.69
-79.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.50 Rp 589.5K
$54.7 $54.7
-40.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.86 Rp 88.2K
$10.14 $10.14
-52.07%
Cappuccino
$2.75 Rp 49.8K
$4.79 $4.79
-42.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 Rp 24.0K
$2.54 $2.54
-48.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 Rp 12.7K
$1.87 $1.87
-62.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.91 Rp 52.8K
$4.89 $4.89
-40.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 Rp 68.8K
$6.40 $6.40
-40.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Jacksonville, NC
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 Rp 31.0K
$0.94 $0.94
81.91%
White Bread (500g)
$2.47 Rp 44.9K
$2.15 $2.15
14.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.20 Rp 21.8K
$4.29 $4.29
-72.03%
Eggs
$2.44 Rp 44.3K
$4.50 $4.50
-45.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.38 Rp 260.9K
$11.96 $11.96
20.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.31 Rp 78.1K
$14.41 $14.41
-70.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.21 Rp 221.4K
$27.76 $27.76
-56.02%
Apples (1kg)
$3.68 Rp 66.8K
$2.16 $2.16
70.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 Rp 28.1K
$1.45 $1.45
6.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.79 Rp 50.5K
$5.01 $5.01
-44.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 42.3K
$3.57 $3.57
-34.73%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.7K
$7.58 $7.58
-74.01%
Onion (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 41.9K
$3.63 $3.63
-36.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Rp 19.3K
$3.40 $3.40
-68.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73 Rp 13.2K
$1.90 $1.90
-61.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.28 Rp 59.5K
$10.59 $10.59
-69.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.79 Rp 413.4K
$13.78 $13.78
65.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.81 Rp 50.9K
$1.71 $1.71
64.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 Rp 50.5K
$6.94 $6.94
-59.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Jacksonville, NC
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 Rp 5,281
$2.02 $2.02
-85.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.06 Rp 146.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 8,146
$2.45 $2.45
-81.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 8,193
$2.37 $2.37
-81.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.24 Rp 113.1K
$28.61 $28.61
-78.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 Rp 15.4K
$0.78 $0.78
8.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.0K Rp 471.2M
$28.9K $28.9K
-10.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 574.1M
$27.5K $27.5K
15.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Jacksonville, NC
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.8 Rp 1.5M
$170 $170
-52.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.06 Rp 73.6K
$56.1 $56.1
-92.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.42 Rp 442.9K
$78.0 $78.0
-68.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Jacksonville, NC
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$97.7 Rp 1.8M
$38.24 $38.24
155.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.45 Rp 116.9K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.04 Rp 73.3K
$13.91 $13.91
-70.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Jacksonville, NC
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$304 Rp 5.5M
$911 $911
-66.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,621 Rp 120.1M
$23.1K $23.1K
-71.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Jacksonville, NC
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.2 Rp 983.6K
$29.91 $29.91
81.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.78 Rp 703.2K
$39.91 $39.91
-2.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.1 Rp 1.6M
$80.7 $80.7
6.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.7 Rp 1.4M
$74.9 $74.9
2.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Jacksonville, NC
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$986 Rp 17.9M
$1,204 $1,204
-18.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$658 Rp 11.9M
$1,369 $1,369
-51.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,369 Rp 61.1M
$1,588 $1,588
112.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,066 Rp 37.5M
$1,551 $1,551
33.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,741 Rp 49.7M
$1,914 $1,914
43.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,228 Rp 40.4M
$6,840 $6,840
-67.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Jacksonville, NC
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$163 Rp 3.0M
$2,231 $2,231
-92.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
6.33
109.79%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Jacksonville, NC: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $1,204 in Jacksonville, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jacksonville, NC pays 1265% 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 $55.0 in Jacksonville, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $431 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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 Jacksonville, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and Jacksonville, NC?
Ubud, Bali and Jacksonville, NC differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($1,404 vs $2,551 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Jacksonville, NC earns 1265% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and Jacksonville, NC?
Rent for a central apartment: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,204 in Jacksonville, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ubud, Bali and Jacksonville, NC?
Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $911 in Jacksonville, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $55.0 in Jacksonville, NC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,551 in Jacksonville, NC, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Jacksonville, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Jacksonville, NC?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Ubud, Bali or Jacksonville, NC safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Jacksonville, NC are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Ubud, Bali or Jacksonville, NC?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Jacksonville, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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