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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,188 in Kaohsiung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,951 in Kaohsiung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,714 in Kaohsiung.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 18% more expensive than Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Kaohsiung is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$4.05 NT$128

-11.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$34.24 NT$1,082

-5.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$5.51 NT$174

-11.80%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$3.09 NT$97.8

-11.00%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.97 NT$30.78

36.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.71 NT$22.50

-1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$1.66 NT$52.4

75.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.73 NT$86.2

38.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$3.50 NT$110

-51.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$2.00 NT$63.3

23.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$2.61 NT$82.4

-54.02%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$3.33 NT$105

-26.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$16.02 NT$506

-10.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$9.41 NT$297

-54.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$18.01 NT$569

-32.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$6.17 NT$195

-40.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$2.56 NT$81.1

-39.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$2.84 NT$89.9

-1.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$3.99 NT$126

-41.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$3.01 NT$95.1

-34.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$2.13 NT$67.2

8.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.85 NT$58.6

-42.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.19 NT$37.52

-38.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$4.38 NT$139

-25.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$15.51 NT$490

46.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.72 NT$54.3

63.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.46 NT$77.7

13.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.82 NT$25.79

-64.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$26.56 NT$840

-69.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$2.94 NT$92.9

-84.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.78 NT$24.73

-42.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$6.28 NT$198

-0.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.03 NT$32.71

-17.48%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$33.9K NT$1.1M

-23.36%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$25.7K NT$811.1K

23.39%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$102 NT$3,225

-20.84%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$25.18 NT$796

-83.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$25.61 NT$810

-4.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$39.43 NT$1,246

147.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$11.15 NT$352

-42.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$10.08 NT$319

-59.92%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$428 NT$13.5K

-29.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$11.5K NT$362.7K

-42.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$95.0 NT$3,004

-42.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$36.01 NT$1,138

7.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$89.3 NT$2,824

-3.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$101 NT$3,191

-24.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$443 NT$14.0K

122.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$281 NT$8,897

133.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$950 NT$30.0K

254.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$682 NT$21.6K

202.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$4,584 NT$144.9K

-40.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$3,194 NT$101.0K

-30.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$1,503 NT$47.5K

-89.12%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $443 in Kaohsiung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kaohsiung pays 819% 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 $297 vs $385 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 18% in total monthly costs ($1,404 vs $1,188 including rent). Kaohsiung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kaohsiung earns 819% 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 $443 in Kaohsiung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $428 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 30% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,188 in Kaohsiung versus $1,404 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 18% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.