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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,159 in Kaohsiung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,912 in Kaohsiung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,666 in Kaohsiung.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 20% more expensive than in Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Kaohsiung is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$4.16 NT$134

-14.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$34.09 NT$1,101

-5.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$5.46 NT$176

-8.24%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.99 NT$96.5

-5.69%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.03 NT$33.19

31.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.72 NT$23.25

1.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.66 NT$53.7

76.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.77 NT$89.5

42.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$3.54 NT$114

-49.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$2.07 NT$66.7

18.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$2.60 NT$84.0

-55.77%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$3.32 NT$107

-27.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$15.78 NT$510

-9.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$9.24 NT$298

-54.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$17.93 NT$579

-32.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$5.99 NT$194

-39.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$2.59 NT$83.5

-39.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$2.78 NT$89.9

0.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$4.03 NT$130

-44.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$2.98 NT$96.3

-33.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$2.24 NT$72.5

1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.92 NT$61.9

-45.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.14 NT$36.95

-30.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$4.34 NT$140

-26.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$15.18 NT$490

54.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.65 NT$53.4

75.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.45 NT$79.2

12.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.81 NT$26.16

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$27.16 NT$877

-69.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$2.94 NT$94.8

-84.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.73 NT$23.55

-36.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$6.03 NT$195

0.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.07 NT$34.53

-19.63%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$34.2K NT$1.1M

-22.22%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$25.7K NT$831.4K

26.42%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$105 NT$3,391

-24.74%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$25.44 NT$821

-83.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$24.82 NT$802

-3.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$38.49 NT$1,243

156.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$11.37 NT$367

-44.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$10.36 NT$335

-61.29%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$427 NT$13.8K

-30.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$11.3K NT$364.0K

-41.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$95.0 NT$3,067

-43.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$36.22 NT$1,170

5.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$89.4 NT$2,886

-0.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$103 NT$3,317

-25.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$448 NT$14.5K

127.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$280 NT$9,030

143.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$925 NT$29.9K

275.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$690 NT$22.3K

202.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$4,510 NT$145.6K

-39.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$3,159 NT$102.0K

-27.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$1,463 NT$47.2K

-88.81%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $448 in Kaohsiung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kaohsiung pays 794% 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 $34.00 in Kaohsiung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $382 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 20% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $1,159 including rent). Kaohsiung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 794% lower in Kaohsiung. 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $448 in Kaohsiung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $427 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 28% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,159 in Kaohsiung versus $1,392 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 20% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.