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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $476 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $742 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,009 in Karachi.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 188% more expensive than in Karachi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Karachi is 65% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$2.20 PKR 609

56.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$13.66 PKR 3,785

165.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$5.54 PKR 1,536

3.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 PKR 595

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 PKR 2,039

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.23 PKR 617

19.73%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.36 PKR 99.3

386.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.26 PKR 72.4

234.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.85 PKR 234

90.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.55 PKR 154

323.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.20 PKR 332

-7.50%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.22 PKR 338

80.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$6.24 PKR 1,727

183.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$3.10 PKR 860

32.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$6.36 PKR 1,761

91.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$1.27 PKR 351

192.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$0.54 PKR 150

194.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.04 PKR 287

119.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$0.61 PKR 168

219.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.32 PKR 88.2

496.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.30 PKR 84.4

676.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.40 PKR 110

152.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.43 PKR 120

27.91%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 PKR 355

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 381

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 PKR 666

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$1.82 PKR 503

22.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.28 PKR 77.4

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$8.08 PKR 2,239

11.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$0.74 PKR 205

-35.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.74 PKR 204

-41.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$2.11 PKR 583

167.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.32 PKR 366

-39.39%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$18.1K PKR 5.0M

38.17%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

16.86%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$109 PKR 30.2K

-25.18%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$5.83 PKR 1,614

11.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$12.96 PKR 3,589

44.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$21.39 PKR 5,927

165.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$18.82 PKR 5,214

-0.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$4.25 PKR 1,178

6.82%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$50.1 PKR 13.9K

859.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$1,571 PKR 435.2K

263.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$15.72 PKR 4,355

189.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$22.45 PKR 6,218

59.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$68.5 PKR 19.0K

17.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$38.80 PKR 10.7K

102.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$111 PKR 30.8K

902.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$72.9 PKR 20.2K

857.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$327 PKR 90.5K

1013.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$181 PKR 50.1K

859.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$1,018 PKR 281.9K

173.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$484 PKR 134.2K

372.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$178 PKR 49.2K

-5.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

12.88

6.99%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Karachi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $111 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karachi pays 6% 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 $14.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $102 per month, with Karachi 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 Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Karachi differ by about 188% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $476 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Karachi. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $111 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $476 in Karachi – a 188% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 11% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $476 in Karachi versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karachi but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Karachi 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 Karachi 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 Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 188% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.