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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $523 in Kalar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $785 in Kalar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,047 in Kalar.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 169% more expensive than in Kalar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Kalar is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$1.96 IQD 2,562

76.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$12.32 IQD 16.1K

162.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$3.73 IQD 4,890

29.76%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.00 IQD 1,311

175.00%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.48 IQD 634

187.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.16 IQD 212

368.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.99 IQD 2,607

50.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.15 IQD 2,813

79.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.05 IQD 1,376

65.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.79 IQD 1,041

211.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.51 IQD 1,977

-22.52%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.31 IQD 1,710

85.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$3.42 IQD 4,481

323.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$2.25 IQD 2,944

93.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$12.60 IQD 16.5K

-4.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$0.95 IQD 1,243

291.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.19 IQD 1,554

36.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$0.94 IQD 1,233

191.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$0.77 IQD 1,003

190.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.69 IQD 906

178.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.70 IQD 917

225.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.73 IQD 958

45.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.45 IQD 588

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$2.72 IQD 3,565

20.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$12.58 IQD 16.5K

84.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.38 IQD 1,811

101.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.93 IQD 2,529

41.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.59 IQD 773

-54.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$30.84 IQD 40.4K

-73.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$2.29 IQD 2,998

-79.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$1.90 IQD 2,488

-77.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$3.79 IQD 4,957

64.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.68 IQD 892

19.12%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$17.0K IQD 22.3M

56.62%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

69.47%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$53.7 IQD 70.3K

45.93%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

-69.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$24.54 IQD 32.1K

-0.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

406.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$16.62 IQD 21.8K

-61.85%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$7.60 IQD 9,949

-47.50%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$50.1 IQD 65.6K

509.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$1,558 IQD 2.0M

326.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$12.57 IQD 16.5K

330.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

167.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$27.05 IQD 35.4K

221.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$32.87 IQD 43.0K

132.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$170 IQD 222.8K

483.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$105 IQD 137.4K

541.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$290 IQD 379.7K

1063.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$149 IQD 195.4K

1273.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$3,310 IQD 4.3M

-15.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$459 IQD 601.3K

384.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$337 IQD 441.5K

-50.48%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Kalar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $170 in Kalar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kalar pays 102% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $12.00 in Kalar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $156 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 169% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 102% 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $170 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $523 in Kalar – a 169% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $523 in Kalar versus $1,408 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 169% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.