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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $668 in Jambi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,041 in Jambi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,757 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,414 in Jambi.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 111% more expensive than Jambi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Jambi is 50% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Jambi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.42 Rp 58.7K
$1.67 Rp 28.7K
104.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.96 Rp 566.5K
$18.52 Rp 318.3K
77.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.08 Rp 87.3K
$3.32 Rp 57.1K
53.01%
Cappuccino
$2.82 Rp 48.5K
$1.41 Rp 24.2K
100.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 Rp 23.5K
$1.26 Rp 21.7K
8.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 Rp 12.2K
$0.23 Rp 3,954
208.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.97 Rp 51.0K
$2.53 Rp 43.5K
17.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 Rp 67.2K
$2.48 Rp 42.7K
57.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Jambi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 Rp 30.0K
$1.21 Rp 20.8K
44.63%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 Rp 43.2K
$1.17 Rp 20.1K
115.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.21 Rp 20.8K
$0.89 Rp 15.3K
35.96%
Eggs
$2.33 Rp 40.1K
$1.54 Rp 26.5K
51.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.50 Rp 249.2K
$7.94 Rp 136.4K
82.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.36 Rp 74.9K
$3.13 Rp 53.8K
39.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.05 Rp 207.0K
$7.73 Rp 132.8K
55.89%
Apples (1kg)
$3.82 Rp 65.6K
$2.41 Rp 41.5K
58.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 Rp 27.7K
$1.50 Rp 25.7K
7.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 Rp 46.5K
$1.85 Rp 31.8K
45.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 38.3K
$1.57 Rp 26.9K
42.04%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 Rp 32.6K
$1.39 Rp 23.9K
36.69%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 Rp 37.5K
$1.89 Rp 32.5K
15.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 Rp 17.7K
$0.97 Rp 16.7K
6.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 Rp 13.3K
$0.45 Rp 7,673
71.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.18 Rp 54.7K
$2.56 Rp 44.0K
24.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.23 Rp 399.2K
$23.65 Rp 406.4K
-1.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.85 Rp 48.9K
$2.09 Rp 35.9K
36.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 Rp 46.7K
$3.10 Rp 53.3K
-12.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Jambi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 Rp 5,022
$0.32 Rp 5,582
-9.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.43 Rp 144.8K
$10.03 Rp 172.3K
-15.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.49 Rp 8,344
$0.54 Rp 9,242
-9.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 7,812
$0.35 Rp 5,941
28.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.28 Rp 107.8K
$2.85 Rp 49.0K
120.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 Rp 14.6K
$0.83 Rp 14.2K
2.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K Rp 447.8M
$25.0K Rp 429.7M
4.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5K Rp 541.8M
$27.2K Rp 466.6M
16.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Jambi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.8 Rp 1.4M
$69.8 Rp 1.2M
14.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.09 Rp 70.3K
$4.39 Rp 75.4K
-6.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.06 Rp 413.6K
$22.54 Rp 387.4K
6.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Jambi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$96.2 Rp 1.7M
$17.21 Rp 295.7K
458.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.53 Rp 112.2K
$6.27 Rp 107.8K
4.15%
Cinema Ticket
$4.13 Rp 71.1K
$2.79 Rp 47.9K
48.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Jambi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$297 Rp 5.1M
$93.9 Rp 1.6M
215.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,661 Rp 114.5M
$7,452 Rp 128.1M
-10.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Jambi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.0 Rp 944.5K
$42.00 Rp 721.7K
30.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.75 Rp 666.0K
$30.46 Rp 523.5K
27.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.6 Rp 1.5M
$67.5 Rp 1.2M
32.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 Rp 1.4M
$73.6 Rp 1.3M
7.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Jambi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,018 Rp 17.5M
$257 Rp 4.4M
295.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$660 Rp 11.3M
$159 Rp 2.7M
315.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,435 Rp 59.0M
$587 Rp 10.1M
485.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,053 Rp 35.3M
$334 Rp 5.7M
515.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,981 Rp 51.2M
$1,200 Rp 20.6M
148.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,368 Rp 40.7M
$837 Rp 14.4M
182.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Jambi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$172 Rp 3.0M
$217 Rp 3.7M
-20.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
9.15
45.14%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Last update for Jambi: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali and $257 in Jambi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jambi pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33 in Ubud, Bali vs $19 in Jambi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $214 per month, with Jambi 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 Jambi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and Jambi?
Ubud, Bali and Jambi differ by about 111% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $668 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Jambi earns 26% 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 Jambi?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $257 in Jambi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ubud, Bali or Jambi?
All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $668 in Jambi – a 111% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Ubud, Bali and Jambi?
A monthly transit pass in Jambi runs roughly 19% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $668 in Jambi versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jambi but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Jambi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Jambi?
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 Jambi safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Jambi 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 Jambi?
Expats usually find Jambi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 111% 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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