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: $1,397 in Ubud, Bali versus $652 in Jambi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,588 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,017 in Jambi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,778 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,381 in Jambi.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 114% more expensive than in Jambi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Jambi is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 Rp 61.5K

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

98.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.97 Rp 573.3K

$18.29 Rp 328.1K

74.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 Rp 90.6K

$3.44 Rp 61.6K

46.80%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.7K

$1.41 Rp 25.2K

92.20%

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

$1.39 Rp 24.9K

$1.24 Rp 22.3K

12.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$0.21 Rp 3,759

252.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 Rp 51.9K

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

20.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.50 Rp 44.8K

51.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$1.17 Rp 21.1K

52.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 Rp 44.9K

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

122.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

37.50%

Eggs

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

49.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 Rp 258.8K

$8.33 Rp 149.3K

73.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 Rp 74.4K

$3.07 Rp 55.0K

35.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 Rp 217.3K

$7.98 Rp 143.1K

51.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 Rp 67.6K

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

62.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

7.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

48.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

43.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.5K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

39.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

$1.89 Rp 34.0K

15.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.91 Rp 16.4K

12.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

$0.41 Rp 7,335

75.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 57.1K

$2.55 Rp 45.8K

24.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.84 Rp 427.5K

$22.18 Rp 397.7K

7.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 Rp 49.8K

$2.04 Rp 36.6K

35.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

-11.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,794

$0.30 Rp 5,371

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.20 Rp 147.0K

$9.80 Rp 175.7K

-16.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,668

$0.53 Rp 9,547

-9.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,557

$0.34 Rp 6,134

23.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 Rp 108.1K

$2.85 Rp 51.1K

111.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

7.89%

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

$26.6K Rp 476.4M

$24.4K Rp 436.9M

9.04%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.6M

$27.7K Rp 496.8M

16.26%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$69.1 Rp 1.2M

13.32%

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

$3.91 Rp 70.2K

$4.40 Rp 78.9K

-11.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 Rp 428.9K

$22.34 Rp 400.7K

7.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$16.79 Rp 301.1K

472.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 117.0K

$6.01 Rp 107.9K

8.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.0K

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

41.70%

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

$303 Rp 5.4M

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

218.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,551 Rp 117.5M

$7,592 Rp 136.2M

-13.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 Rp 992.0K

$42.28 Rp 758.2K

30.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 Rp 687.3K

$31.14 Rp 558.4K

23.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

31.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$73.8 Rp 1.3M

4.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$258 Rp 4.6M

281.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 Rp 12.2M

$157 Rp 2.8M

335.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,420 Rp 61.3M

$588 Rp 10.5M

482.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 Rp 37.2M

$332 Rp 6.0M

524.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,762 Rp 49.5M

$1,111 Rp 19.9M

148.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 Rp 40.2M

$769 Rp 13.8M

191.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$203 Rp 3.6M

-16.76%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Jambi: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $258 in Jambi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jambi pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $18.00 in Jambi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $210 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

Ubud, Bali and Jambi differ by about 114% in total monthly costs ($1,397 vs $652 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Jambi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $258 in Jambi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,397 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $652 in Jambi – a 114% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jambi runs roughly 20% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $652 in Jambi versus $1,397 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Jambi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.