Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Janub-as-surrah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Janub-as-surrah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,323 in Janub-as-surrah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,196 in Janub-as-surrah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,069 in Janub-as-surrah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 9% more expensive than Janub-as-surrah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Janub-as-surrah is 1% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Janub-as-surrah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.57 Rp 61.9K
$7.54 KWD 2.31
-52.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.58 Rp 564.7K
$58.7 KWD 18.02
-44.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.07 Rp 87.8K
$8.42 KWD 2.58
-39.79%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.49 KWD 0.76
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.54 KWD 1.09
-
Cappuccino
$2.83 Rp 49.0K
$5.25 KWD 1.61
-46.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 Rp 23.2K
$0.59 KWD 0.18
127.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 Rp 12.0K
$0.33 KWD 0.10
109.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.99 Rp 51.8K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 Rp 66.7K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Janub-as-surrah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 Rp 30.2K
$1.43 KWD 0.44
21.68%
White Bread (500g)
$2.54 Rp 44.0K
$1.04 KWD 0.32
144.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 Rp 20.6K
$1.64 KWD 0.50
-27.44%
Eggs
$2.43 Rp 42.0K
$2.06 KWD 0.63
17.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.66 Rp 254.1K
$4.46 KWD 1.37
228.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.18 Rp 72.4K
$6.67 KWD 2.05
-37.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.94 Rp 206.9K
$9.81 KWD 3.01
21.71%
Apples (1kg)
$3.69 Rp 63.9K
$2.31 KWD 0.71
59.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 Rp 27.8K
$1.60 KWD 0.49
0.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.69 Rp 46.5K
$1.57 KWD 0.48
71.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 40.4K
$1.37 KWD 0.42
70.07%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 33.0K
$1.21 KWD 0.37
57.85%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 Rp 37.9K
$1.14 KWD 0.35
92.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Rp 18.3K
$1.61 KWD 0.50
-34.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 Rp 12.5K
$0.43 KWD 0.13
67.44%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.01 KWD 0.31
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.34 KWD 0.41
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.13 Rp 54.3K
$2.91 KWD 0.89
7.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.49 Rp 407.1K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.74 Rp 47.5K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 Rp 49.9K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Janub-as-surrah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 Rp 5,029
$0.85 KWD 0.26
-65.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.17 Rp 141.6K
$44.82 KWD 13.76
-81.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 7,863
$3.29 KWD 1.01
-86.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,305
$3.23 KWD 0.99
-87.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.16 Rp 106.7K
$16.11 KWD 4.95
-61.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.84 Rp 14.6K
$0.34 KWD 0.10
147.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.2K Rp 454.9M
$20.7K KWD 6,349
26.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5K Rp 562.9M
$19.0K KWD 5,822
71.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Janub-as-surrah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$62.4 KWD 19.15
25.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.95 Rp 68.5K
$18.21 KWD 5.59
-78.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.40 Rp 423.0K
$25.33 KWD 7.78
-3.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Janub-as-surrah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$96.5 Rp 1.7M
$93.5 KWD 28.69
3.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.35 Rp 110.0K
$46.37 KWD 14.23
-86.31%
Cinema Ticket
$4.04 Rp 70.0K
$11.46 KWD 3.52
-64.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Janub-as-surrah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$303 Rp 5.2M
$278 KWD 85.5
8.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,523 Rp 113.1M
$5,984 KWD 1,837
9.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Janub-as-surrah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8 Rp 933.1K
$42.32 KWD 12.99
27.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.98 Rp 658.3K
$42.41 KWD 13.02
-10.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 Rp 1.5M
$87.1 KWD 26.75
-0.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 Rp 1.4M
$80.2 KWD 24.63
-1.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Janub-as-surrah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 Rp 17.5M
$800 KWD 245
26.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$674 Rp 11.7M
$616 KWD 189
9.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,390 Rp 58.8M
$1,565 KWD 480
116.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,098 Rp 36.4M
$1,311 KWD 403
60.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,985 Rp 51.7M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,339 Rp 40.5M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Janub-as-surrah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$173 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
7.14
85.99%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Janub-as-surrah: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $800 in Janub-as-surrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $59.0 in Janub-as-surrah. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $167, with Janub-as-surrah cheaper for home cooking.

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 Janub-as-surrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Janub-as-surrah?
Janub-as-surrah wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Janub-as-surrah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ubud, Bali vs Janub-as-surrah?
You'd need roughly $2,158 in Ubud, Bali and $1,985 in Janub-as-surrah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali vs Janub-as-surrah?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $800 in Janub-as-surrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Ubud, Bali compared to Janub-as-surrah?
All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,323 in Janub-as-surrah – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Ubud, Bali vs Janub-as-surrah?
A monthly transit pass in Janub-as-surrah runs roughly 449% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or Janub-as-surrah?
At $1,323 in Janub-as-surrah versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Janub-as-surrah but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Janub-as-surrah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Janub-as-surrah?
Both work as nomad bases, but Janub-as-surrah delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,323 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Janub-as-surrah hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Janub-as-surrah?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Janub-as-surrah 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 Janub-as-surrah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% 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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