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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $619 in Kalutara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $899 in Kalutara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,179 in Kalutara.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 121% more expensive than in Kalutara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Kalutara is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$4.51 LKR 1,492

-23.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

$26.15 LKR 8,646

38.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$7.62 LKR 2,519

-25.07%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.55 LKR 844

4.71%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.73 LKR 241

139.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.25 LKR 81.8

248.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$2.18 LKR 721

35.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$3.06 LKR 1,013

47.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.57 LKR 518

3.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.56 LKR 186

316.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.75 LKR 246

48.00%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.59 LKR 525

38.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

$13.33 LKR 4,409

32.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$5.21 LKR 1,722

-21.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$7.42 LKR 2,455

64.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$6.77 LKR 2,239

-45.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$0.83 LKR 275

91.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$4.25 LKR 1,407

-46.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.24 LKR 409

57.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.03 LKR 341

85.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$0.82 LKR 270

184.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.88 LKR 289

14.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,791

$0.48 LKR 160

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$10.41 LKR 3,444

-78.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

$13.62 LKR 4,505

69.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.99 LKR 659

21.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$2.78 LKR 919

7.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

$0.11 LKR 36.64

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

$9.38 LKR 3,100

-4.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,582

$0.39 LKR 128

23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,693

$0.17 LKR 56.6

152.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$0.90 LKR 296

526.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.35 LKR 446

-40.74%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

$37.7K LKR 12.5M

-33.81%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

$40.1K LKR 13.3M

-20.91%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$56.1 LKR 18.5K

45.33%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$4.25 LKR 1,406

52.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

$21.24 LKR 7,023

-11.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$9.06 LKR 2,994

527.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$4.30 LKR 1,422

5.58%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$37.98 LKR 12.6K

1165.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$1,235 LKR 408.3K

362.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

$20.37 LKR 6,735

123.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

$16.56 LKR 5,475

116.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$80.8 LKR 26.7K

-0.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$42.28 LKR 14.0K

86.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$86.1 LKR 28.5K

710.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

12.69

8.59%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kalutara: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $26.00 in Kalutara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $238 per month, with Kalutara 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 Kalutara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kalutara wins on cost – living expenses run 121% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kalutara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,052 in Ubud, Bali and $928 in Kalutara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

A monthly transit pass in Kalutara runs roughly 4% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $37.98 in Kalutara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $619 in Kalutara versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kalutara but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kalutara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kalutara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $619 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kalutara hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Kalutara 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 Kalutara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 121% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.