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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $497 in Kabul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $680 in Kabul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $864 in Kabul.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 177% more expensive than in Kabul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Kabul is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$2.81 ؋181

18.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$7.70 ؋495

365.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$4.45 ؋286

26.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ؋144

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ؋119

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$1.11 ؋71.2

154.05%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.48 ؋30.89

264.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.13 ؋8.39

515.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$0.88 ؋56.5

82.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.23 ؋14.76

886.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.78 ؋115

-34.27%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.58 ؋102

37.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$4.23 ؋272

316.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$3.99 ؋256

1.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$6.55 ؋421

85.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$0.73 ؋46.78

395.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$0.90 ؋57.9

82.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$0.95 ؋61.1

143.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$0.54 ؋34.50

262.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.62 ؋40.17

196.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.51 ؋32.83

364.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.28 ؋17.78

275.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.36 ؋23.09

50.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.86 ؋119

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ؋47.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 ؋67.2

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$2.43 ؋156

-5.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.13 ؋8.43

92.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$20.53 ؋1,320

-54.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$2.11 ؋136

-76.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.48 ؋30.93

-2.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$2.66 ؋171

110.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.99 ؋63.4

-18.18%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$8,551 ؋549.8K

192.48%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$33.8K ؋2.2M

-8.16%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$42.79 ؋2,751

93.32%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$12.63 ؋812

-48.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$97.8 ؋6,289

-80.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$11.19 ؋720

393.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$3.97 ؋255

358.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.32 ؋149

85.34%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$19.89 ؋1,279

2384.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$1,043 ؋67.0K

467.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$10.49 ؋675

341.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$16.10 ؋1,035

126.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$57.5 ؋3,695

40.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$25.12 ؋1,615

213.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$124 ؋7,996

795.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$108 ؋6,957

540.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$216 ؋13.9K

1584.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$116 ؋7,462

1375.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$688 ؋44.2K

301.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$355 ؋22.8K

545.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$333 ؋21.4K

-49.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kabul: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $124 in Kabul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kabul pays 99% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $8.00 in Kabul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $101 per month, with Kabul 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 Kabul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Kabul differ by about 177% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $497 including rent). Kabul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 99% lower in Kabul. 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $124 in Kabul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kabul runs roughly 118% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $19.89 in Kabul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $497 in Kabul versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kabul but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kabul 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 Kabul 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 Kabul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 177% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.