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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $549 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Ubud, Bali versus $862 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,757 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,175 in Kandy.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 156% more expensive than Kandy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Kandy is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

$2.77 LKR 877

23.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

$11.69 LKR 3,700

181.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

$6.60 LKR 2,087

-23.03%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

$2.61 LKR 825

8.05%

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$0.61 LKR 193

124.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$0.30 LKR 94.5

136.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

$2.12 LKR 670

40.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

$3.37 LKR 1,067

16.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$1.45 LKR 458

20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$0.56 LKR 177

350.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$0.87 LKR 275

39.08%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$2.13 LKR 674

9.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

$8.95 LKR 2,832

62.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

$4.77 LKR 1,511

-8.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

$8.12 LKR 2,570

48.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

$4.64 LKR 1,467

-17.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.02 LKR 324

57.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

$3.63 LKR 1,150

-25.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$1.26 LKR 398

76.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$1.14 LKR 362

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$1.23 LKR 390

77.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$0.77 LKR 245

33.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$0.56 LKR 177

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

$9.25 LKR 2,928

-65.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

$12.05 LKR 3,814

92.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$2.06 LKR 652

38.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$2.71 LKR 858

0.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

$0.17 LKR 55.3

70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

$15.20 LKR 4,810

-44.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

$0.42 LKR 132

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

$0.35 LKR 111

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

$0.40 LKR 128

1470.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$1.21 LKR 384

-29.75%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

$17.7K LKR 5.6M

47.41%

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

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

$21.2K LKR 6.7M

49.01%

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$40.48 LKR 12.8K

97.06%

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

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

$4.27 LKR 1,353

-4.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

$14.97 LKR 4,737

60.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$15.12 LKR 4,784

536.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

$5.82 LKR 1,841

12.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

$3.40 LKR 1,077

21.47%

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

$36.64 LKR 11.6K

709.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

$321 LKR 101.5K

1977.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

$27.83 LKR 8,808

97.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

$14.44 LKR 4,569

168.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

$57.1 LKR 18.1K

56.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$29.77 LKR 9,423

165.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

$132 LKR 41.9K

669.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

$85.3 LKR 27.0K

673.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

$221 LKR 69.8K

1458.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

$161 LKR 51.0K

1174.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

$428 LKR 135.3K

597.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

$417 LKR 132.0K

467.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 3.0M

$277 LKR 87.6K

-37.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-11.47%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Last update for Kandy: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali and $132 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kandy pays 61% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33 in Ubud, Bali vs $12 in Kandy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $213 per month, with Kandy 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 Kandy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 156% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kandy earns 61% 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: $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $132 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $549 in Kandy – a 156% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 80% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $549 in Kandy versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kandy but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kandy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kandy 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 Kandy 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 Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 156% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.