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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $490 in Karad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $804 in Karad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,117 in Karad.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 184% more expensive than in Karad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Karad is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$5.15 ₹491

-30.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$21.76 ₹2,076

48.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$4.58 ₹437

9.39%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.66 ₹253

6.02%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.48 ₹45.51

181.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.18 ₹17.59

305.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.36 ₹225

24.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$4.12 ₹393

-4.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$0.78 ₹74.4

128.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.52 ₹49.39

371.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.83 ₹78.8

38.55%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.04 ₹99.5

131.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$6.95 ₹663

106.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$3.85 ₹367

8.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.37 ₹226

53.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$0.75 ₹71.7

109.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.26 ₹121

121.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$0.65 ₹62.3

244.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$0.57 ₹54.7

247.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$0.63 ₹59.8

261.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.69 ₹65.6

52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.35 ₹33.51

125.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$4.03 ₹384

-20.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$8.21 ₹783

186.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.10 ₹200

38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$3.36 ₹321

-17.86%

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

$6.90 ₹658

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.28 ₹26.43

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$8.88 ₹847

-5.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$0.37 ₹35.00

21.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.30 ₹29.05

53.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$1.37 ₹131

343.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.20 ₹114

-28.33%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$17.7K ₹1.7M

50.40%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$25.3K ₹2.4M

28.75%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$50.3 ₹4,798

57.07%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$5.10 ₹487

-19.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$8.61 ₹821

177.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$15.91 ₹1,517

520.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$7.09 ₹676

-10.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$4.56 ₹435

-12.06%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$121 ₹11.6K

144.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$3,310 ₹315.7K

99.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$29.06 ₹2,771

83.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$30.87 ₹2,944

23.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$54.8 ₹5,230

61.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$39.58 ₹3,775

93.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$123 ₹11.8K

727.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$75.9 ₹7,242

795.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$276 ₹26.4K

1155.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$177 ₹16.9K

1079.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$896 ₹85.4K

204.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$489 ₹46.7K

369.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Karad: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $123 in Karad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 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 184% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $490 including rent). Karad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,088 in Ubud, Bali and $736 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $123 in Karad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $490 in Karad – a 184% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karad runs roughly 6% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $490 in Karad versus $1,392 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 184% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.