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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $551 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $860 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,169 in Kandy.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 155% more expensive than Kandy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Kandy is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.7K

$2.82 LKR 950

26.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 589.5K

$11.83 LKR 3,988

174.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 88.2K

$6.58 LKR 2,216

-26.14%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.8K

$2.56 LKR 861

7.42%

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

$1.32 Rp 24.0K

$0.65 LKR 217

103.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

$0.33 LKR 110

112.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.8K

$2.15 LKR 726

35.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.8K

$3.43 LKR 1,154

10.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 31.0K

$1.40 LKR 472

22.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.9K

$0.52 LKR 175

375.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.8K

$0.85 LKR 287

41.18%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 44.3K

$2.19 LKR 737

11.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 260.9K

$8.48 LKR 2,859

69.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 78.1K

$4.64 LKR 1,565

-7.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 221.4K

$8.15 LKR 2,746

49.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.8K

$4.42 LKR 1,491

-16.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 28.1K

$1.02 LKR 345

51.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.5K

$3.63 LKR 1,222

-23.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 42.3K

$1.21 LKR 408

92.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.7K

$1.16 LKR 390

69.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.9K

$1.30 LKR 439

77.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.3K

$0.74 LKR 248

43.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.55 LKR 186

32.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 59.5K

$9.30 LKR 3,134

-64.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 413.4K

$11.32 LKR 3,815

101.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.9K

$1.99 LKR 671

41.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 50.5K

$2.77 LKR 934

0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,281

$0.17 LKR 58.1

70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 146.2K

$14.86 LKR 5,009

-45.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,146

$0.39 LKR 130

15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,193

$0.33 LKR 110

36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 113.1K

$0.44 LKR 148

1318.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.4K

$1.25 LKR 423

-32.00%

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

$26.0K Rp 471.2M

$17.9K LKR 6.0M

44.76%

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

$31.7K Rp 574.1M

$21.2K LKR 7.2M

49.19%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

$40.82 LKR 13.8K

97.82%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.6K

$4.26 LKR 1,437

-4.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 442.9K

$15.41 LKR 5,194

58.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.8M

$14.86 LKR 5,006

557.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 116.9K

$5.62 LKR 1,895

14.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 73.3K

$3.33 LKR 1,122

21.32%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$37.50 LKR 12.6K

710.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 120.1M

$328 LKR 110.5K

1918.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 983.6K

$27.01 LKR 9,102

100.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 703.2K

$14.32 LKR 4,826

170.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.6M

$56.9 LKR 19.2K

51.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$29.20 LKR 9,841

162.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.9M

$131 LKR 44.3K

650.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.9M

$83.3 LKR 28.1K

690.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 61.1M

$217 LKR 73.0K

1456.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.5M

$160 LKR 53.8K

1195.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.7M

$401 LKR 135.2K

583.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 40.4M

$394 LKR 132.8K

465.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 3.0M

$260 LKR 87.6K

-37.13%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Kandy: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $131 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kandy pays 59% 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 Kandy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $207 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 155% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kandy earns 59% 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $131 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $551 in Kandy – a 155% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 84% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $551 in Kandy versus $1,404 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 155% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.