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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $545 in Kalar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $826 in Kalar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,106 in Kalar.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 153% more expensive than in Kalar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Kalar is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$1.86 IQD 2,434

79.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$12.41 IQD 16.3K

188.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$3.64 IQD 4,770

54.67%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$0.99 IQD 1,299

184.85%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.52 IQD 683

236.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.14 IQD 184

471.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$6.03 IQD 7,902

-49.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.48 IQD 5,873

-4.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.10 IQD 1,441

46.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.76 IQD 996

198.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.54 IQD 2,021

-24.03%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.32 IQD 1,728

64.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$3.48 IQD 4,558

406.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$2.24 IQD 2,930

80.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$12.24 IQD 16.0K

-0.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$0.94 IQD 1,228

285.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.15 IQD 1,504

42.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$0.94 IQD 1,226

145.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$0.81 IQD 1,059

141.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.71 IQD 928

159.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.70 IQD 916

238.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.78 IQD 1,025

34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.40 IQD 528

35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$2.52 IQD 3,296

-8.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

82.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.67 IQD 2,191

40.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.15 IQD 2,818

42.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.55 IQD 716

-54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$30.21 IQD 39.6K

-68.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.86 IQD 2,440

-73.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$1.80 IQD 2,355

-73.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$3.78 IQD 4,947

48.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.67 IQD 875

20.90%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$16.7K IQD 21.8M

50.02%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$18.7K IQD 24.5M

66.05%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$52.8 IQD 69.2K

56.55%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$13.44 IQD 17.6K

-51.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$23.92 IQD 31.3K

-21.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$19.01 IQD 24.9K

190.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$38.34 IQD 50.2K

-52.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

-44.80%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$50.8 IQD 66.5K

873.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$1,532 IQD 2.0M

286.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$12.97 IQD 17.0K

256.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$14.14 IQD 18.5K

157.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$26.37 IQD 34.5K

206.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$32.17 IQD 42.1K

144.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$171 IQD 224.5K

549.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$106 IQD 138.8K

553.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$281 IQD 367.7K

1195.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$148 IQD 193.9K

1056.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$3,286 IQD 4.3M

-15.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$451 IQD 591.1K

407.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$343 IQD 448.8K

-51.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

2.53

444.66%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kalar: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $171 in Kalar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kalar pays 105% 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 $12.00 in Kalar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $157 per month, with Kalar 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 Kalar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kalar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 153% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 105% lower in Kalar. 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 $171 in Kalar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kalar – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $545 in Kalar – a 153% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $545 in Kalar versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kalar but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kalar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kalar 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 Kalar 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 Kalar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 153% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.