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: $1,397 in Ubud, Bali versus $535 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,588 in Ubud, Bali versus $854 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,778 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,173 in Kandy.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 161% more expensive than in Kandy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Kandy is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 Rp 61.5K

$2.75 LKR 924

24.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.97 Rp 573.3K

$11.88 LKR 3,992

169.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 Rp 90.6K

$6.36 LKR 2,138

-20.60%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.7K

$2.63 LKR 885

3.04%

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

$1.39 Rp 24.9K

$0.60 LKR 201

131.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$0.32 LKR 109

131.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 Rp 51.9K

$2.13 LKR 716

35.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.37 LKR 1,134

12.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$1.41 LKR 473

26.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 Rp 44.9K

$0.52 LKR 173

382.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$0.86 LKR 289

40.70%

Eggs

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

$2.17 LKR 729

9.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 Rp 258.8K

$8.61 LKR 2,894

67.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 Rp 74.4K

$4.53 LKR 1,524

-8.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 Rp 217.3K

$7.97 LKR 2,680

51.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 Rp 67.6K

$4.48 LKR 1,507

-15.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$0.97 LKR 327

68.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

$3.77 LKR 1,266

-28.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

$1.21 LKR 405

86.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.5K

$1.16 LKR 391

66.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

$1.25 LKR 420

75.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.78 LKR 262

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

$0.56 LKR 188

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 57.1K

$9.28 LKR 3,119

-65.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.84 Rp 427.5K

$11.47 LKR 3,854

107.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 Rp 49.8K

$2.10 LKR 705

31.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.74 LKR 921

0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,794

$0.18 LKR 59.6

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.20 Rp 147.0K

$15.28 LKR 5,136

-46.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,668

$0.39 LKR 130

23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,557

$0.33 LKR 110

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 Rp 108.1K

$0.43 LKR 146

1302.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$1.25 LKR 421

-34.40%

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

$26.6K Rp 476.4M

$17.8K LKR 6.0M

49.57%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.6M

$21.7K LKR 7.3M

48.66%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$40.58 LKR 13.6K

92.83%

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

$3.91 Rp 70.2K

$4.37 LKR 1,470

-10.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 Rp 428.9K

$15.38 LKR 5,170

55.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$14.79 LKR 4,970

550.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 117.0K

$5.71 LKR 1,919

14.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.0K

$3.42 LKR 1,150

17.25%

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

$303 Rp 5.4M

$36.45 LKR 12.3K

730.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,551 Rp 117.5M

$324 LKR 108.9K

1921.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 Rp 992.0K

$27.66 LKR 9,298

99.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 Rp 687.3K

$14.38 LKR 4,833

166.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

$56.1 LKR 18.8K

57.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$30.16 LKR 10.1K

154.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$136 LKR 45.9K

622.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 Rp 12.2M

$83.4 LKR 28.0K

717.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,420 Rp 61.3M

$219 LKR 73.6K

1461.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 Rp 37.2M

$161 LKR 54.2K

1186.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,762 Rp 49.5M

$392 LKR 131.9K

604.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 Rp 40.2M

$399 LKR 134.2K

461.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$261 LKR 87.6K

-35.24%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Kandy: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $136 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kandy pays 54% 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 Kandy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $208 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 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Kandy. 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $136 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,397 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $535 in Kandy – a 161% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 86% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $535 in Kandy versus $1,397 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 161% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.