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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $485 in Karad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $780 in Karad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,074 in Karad.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 197% more expensive than Karad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Karad is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$5.28 ₹502

-32.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$22.36 ₹2,123

45.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$4.67 ₹443

8.57%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.52 ₹239

12.30%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.47 ₹44.42

185.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.18 ₹16.80

283.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.35 ₹224

27.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$4.10 ₹389

-6.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$0.79 ₹75.2

120.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.51 ₹48.43

398.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.79 ₹74.8

50.63%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.03 ₹97.8

135.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$7.16 ₹679

104.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$3.75 ₹356

11.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.40 ₹228

53.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$0.81 ₹76.8

98.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.30 ₹123

106.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$0.70 ₹66.6

232.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.53 ₹50.0

260.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.59 ₹56.0

271.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.68 ₹64.9

55.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.32 ₹30.70

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$4.04 ₹384

-22.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$7.88 ₹748

198.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.15 ₹205

27.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$3.41 ₹323

-15.54%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.89 ₹654

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.30 ₹28.63

-3.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$8.90 ₹845

-8.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.33 ₹31.73

36.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.30 ₹28.88

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$1.44 ₹136

327.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.22 ₹116

-31.15%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$17.1K ₹1.6M

53.12%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$25.3K ₹2.4M

28.24%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$51.3 ₹4,866

52.98%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$4.96 ₹471

-20.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$9.10 ₹864

168.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$15.68 ₹1,489

515.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$7.15 ₹679

-11.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$4.70 ₹447

-14.04%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$120 ₹11.4K

152.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$3,275 ₹310.9K

99.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$30.12 ₹2,859

78.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$31.12 ₹2,955

22.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$55.5 ₹5,266

56.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$40.00 ₹3,798

97.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$122 ₹11.6K

731.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$75.1 ₹7,127

798.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$269 ₹25.5K

1160.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$181 ₹17.2K

1058.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$1,046 ₹99.3K

185.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$523 ₹49.7K

347.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.22

44.03%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Karad: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $122 in Karad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $22.00 in Karad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $129 per month, with Karad 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 Karad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Karad differ by about 197% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $485 including rent). Karad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,158 in Ubud, Bali and $727 in Karad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $122 in Karad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $485 in Karad – a 197% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karad runs roughly 9% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $485 in Karad versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karad but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Karad 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 Karad 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 Karad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 197% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.