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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $519 in Kalar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $776 in Kalar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,034 in Kalar.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Kalar is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$1.86 IQD 2,435

91.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$12.16 IQD 15.9K

169.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

$3.61 IQD 4,722

37.12%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$1.04 IQD 1,365

160.58%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$0.49 IQD 637

173.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.15 IQD 200

366.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$1.93 IQD 2,528

51.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$2.06 IQD 2,700

92.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$1.05 IQD 1,374

72.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$0.85 IQD 1,107

196.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$1.56 IQD 2,042

-25.64%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$1.32 IQD 1,730

86.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$3.52 IQD 4,604

317.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$2.35 IQD 3,079

83.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$12.29 IQD 16.1K

-1.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$0.92 IQD 1,204

317.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.14 IQD 1,495

36.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$1.00 IQD 1,309

183.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$0.75 IQD 980

210.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$0.70 IQD 920

172.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$0.72 IQD 941

205.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$0.71 IQD 934

42.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$0.44 IQD 581

77.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$2.65 IQD 3,468

25.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

$12.66 IQD 16.6K

87.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.43 IQD 1,877

95.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$1.95 IQD 2,550

46.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$0.59 IQD 776

-54.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

$31.03 IQD 40.6K

-74.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,230

$2.33 IQD 3,054

-80.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,116

$1.88 IQD 2,456

-76.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$3.79 IQD 4,966

60.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$0.64 IQD 840

23.44%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$16.9K IQD 22.2M

54.59%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

70.92%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$54.5 IQD 71.3K

46.81%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$13.55 IQD 17.7K

-70.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

$23.89 IQD 31.3K

-1.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$19.20 IQD 25.1K

414.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$17.14 IQD 22.4K

-61.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$7.55 IQD 9,881

-45.03%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$52.0 IQD 68.1K

484.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$1,522 IQD 2.0M

334.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$12.83 IQD 16.8K

332.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$13.93 IQD 18.2K

175.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$26.51 IQD 34.7K

234.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$32.27 IQD 42.3K

141.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

$174 IQD 228.0K

477.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$105 IQD 137.0K

545.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$282 IQD 368.6K

1122.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$146 IQD 190.5K

1301.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$3,312 IQD 4.3M

-14.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$456 IQD 597.7K

395.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$337 IQD 441.8K

-51.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.67

134.22%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kalar: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $174 in Kalar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kalar pays 104% 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 $12.00 in Kalar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 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, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out. The 174% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kalar earns 104% 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $174 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $519 in Kalar – a 174% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $519 in Kalar versus $1,419 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 174% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.