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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $516 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $736 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $956 in Kandy.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 167% more expensive than in Kandy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Kandy is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$2.75 LKR 904

21.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$12.92 LKR 4,246

177.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$5.98 LKR 1,964

-5.85%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$1.99 LKR 654

41.71%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.51 LKR 167

243.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.26 LKR 85.5

207.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.86 LKR 612

63.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.85 LKR 937

50.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.16 LKR 383

38.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.49 LKR 161

363.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$0.78 LKR 258

50.00%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.60 LKR 527

35.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$5.24 LKR 1,721

236.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.30 LKR 1,412

-5.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$6.89 LKR 2,265

76.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$3.08 LKR 1,012

17.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$0.89 LKR 292

84.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.72 LKR 564

34.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.27 LKR 418

54.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.99 LKR 326

85.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.81 LKR 266

192.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.48 LKR 158

118.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.45 LKR 147

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$7.75 LKR 2,548

-70.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$11.53 LKR 3,788

100.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.99 LKR 654

17.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.04 LKR 669

50.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.16 LKR 53.3

56.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$4.68 LKR 1,538

101.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$0.42 LKR 138

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.38 LKR 126

23.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$0.47 LKR 156

1091.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.12 LKR 368

-27.68%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$14.1K LKR 4.6M

76.77%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$37.5K LKR 12.3M

-17.23%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$55.1 LKR 18.1K

50.21%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$4.11 LKR 1,351

57.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$12.67 LKR 4,164

48.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$11.02 LKR 3,620

401.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$6.68 LKR 2,193

172.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.89 LKR 950

48.79%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$21.41 LKR 7,036

2208.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$305 LKR 100.3K

1838.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$20.30 LKR 6,671

127.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$10.30 LKR 3,386

253.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$68.8 LKR 22.6K

17.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$26.80 LKR 8,805

194.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$174 LKR 57.0K

541.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$116 LKR 38.1K

497.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$177 LKR 58.2K

1954.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$97.0 LKR 31.9K

1665.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$414 LKR 135.9K

567.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$406 LKR 133.5K

464.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$263 LKR 86.5K

-36.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

14.83%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kandy: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $174 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kandy pays 58% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $13.00 in Kandy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $167 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 167% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 58% 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $174 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $516 in Kandy – a 167% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 101% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $516 in Kandy versus $1,378 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 167% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.