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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $526 in Jinotega.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $827 in Jinotega.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,128 in Jinotega.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 174% more expensive than Jinotega, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Jinotega is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$3.71 NIO 136

-3.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$15.90 NIO 585

104.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$4.31 NIO 158

17.63%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$1.14 NIO 41.92

148.25%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.62 NIO 22.74

116.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.57 NIO 20.97

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.29 NIO 47.25

131.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$1.86 NIO 68.4

106.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$0.84 NIO 30.91

107.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.73 NIO 26.81

247.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.38 NIO 50.6

-13.77%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.75 NIO 64.3

38.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$5.00 NIO 184

193.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$5.50 NIO 202

-24.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$8.54 NIO 314

39.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.81 NIO 103

31.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$0.99 NIO 36.51

62.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.38 NIO 87.5

13.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.79 NIO 66.0

30.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.79 NIO 65.7

6.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.48 NIO 54.3

47.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.75 NIO 27.56

41.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.86 NIO 31.74

-16.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$3.25 NIO 119

-3.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$7.78 NIO 286

201.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$8.57 NIO 315

-4.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.59 NIO 21.54

-23.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.58 NIO 21.39

-27.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$21.2K NIO 779.0K

23.84%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$29.4K NIO 1.1M

10.33%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$28.40 NIO 1,044

176.13%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$37.32 NIO 1,372

-34.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$15.48 NIO 569

523.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$49.21 NIO 1,809

514.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$61.2 NIO 2,248

-11.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$40.59 NIO 1,492

-6.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$80.9 NIO 2,975

7.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$52.8 NIO 1,943

49.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$100 NIO 3,681

910.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$79.8 NIO 2,932

745.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$178 NIO 6,536

1806.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$152 NIO 5,572

1284.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$1,312 NIO 48.2K

127.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$1,014 NIO 37.3K

130.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$280 NIO 10.3K

-38.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Jinotega: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $100 in Jinotega. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jinotega pays 61% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $16.00 in Jinotega for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $172 per month, with Jinotega 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 Jinotega: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jinotega is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 174% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Jinotega earns 61% less. 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $100 in Jinotega. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Jinotega – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $526 in Jinotega – a 174% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $526 in Jinotega versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jinotega but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Jinotega the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jinotega is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Jinotega 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 Jinotega gentler on the wallet – expenses run 174% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.