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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,148 in Kaohsiung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,899 in Kaohsiung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,650 in Kaohsiung.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 25% more expensive than Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Kaohsiung is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$4.11 NT$130

-13.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$33.83 NT$1,071

-3.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$5.43 NT$172

-6.63%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.99 NT$94.8

-5.35%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.97 NT$30.80

38.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.72 NT$22.94

-4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.68 NT$53.1

77.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.79 NT$88.2

37.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$3.43 NT$109

-49.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$2.00 NT$63.3

27.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$2.61 NT$82.6

-54.41%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$3.30 NT$105

-26.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$16.13 NT$511

-9.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$9.45 NT$299

-55.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$17.56 NT$556

-32.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$6.20 NT$196

-40.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$2.59 NT$81.9

-37.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.86 NT$90.4

-5.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$4.00 NT$127

-41.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$2.91 NT$92.1

-34.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$2.23 NT$70.5

-1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.95 NT$61.6

-45.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$1.19 NT$37.74

-39.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$4.53 NT$143

-30.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$15.61 NT$494

50.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.67 NT$52.8

64.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.56 NT$81.0

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.82 NT$26.01

-64.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$26.95 NT$853

-69.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$2.91 NT$92.1

-84.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.79 NT$25.16

-46.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$6.12 NT$194

0.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.03 NT$32.54

-18.45%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$34.9K NT$1.1M

-24.78%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$25.6K NT$811.5K

26.67%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$102 NT$3,239

-23.37%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$25.62 NT$811

-84.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$25.09 NT$794

-2.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$39.67 NT$1,255

143.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$11.12 NT$352

-42.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$9.98 NT$316

-59.52%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$431 NT$13.7K

-29.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$11.5K NT$362.6K

-43.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$97.4 NT$3,083

-44.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$35.83 NT$1,134

6.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$88.1 NT$2,788

-1.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$104 NT$3,276

-23.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$442 NT$14.0K

129.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$279 NT$8,843

141.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$960 NT$30.4K

253.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$686 NT$21.7K

205.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$4,630 NT$146.5K

-35.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$3,248 NT$102.8K

-27.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$1,533 NT$48.5K

-88.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

2.3

477.39%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $442 in Kaohsiung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kaohsiung pays 785% 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 $34.00 in Kaohsiung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $384 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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 Kaohsiung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Kaohsiung differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $1,148 including rent). Kaohsiung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kaohsiung earns 785% 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $442 in Kaohsiung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $431 in Kaohsiung. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ubud, Bali pay roughly 29% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,148 in Kaohsiung versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kaohsiung but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kaohsiung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Kaohsiung 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 Kaohsiung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.