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: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $480 in Karad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $788 in Karad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,095 in Karad.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 190% more expensive than Karad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Karad is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.2K

$5.09 ₹481

-33.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 573.6K

$22.01 ₹2,082

47.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 88.6K

$4.73 ₹447

5.71%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.0K

$2.54 ₹240

11.02%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$0.50 ₹47.62

176.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.15 ₹14.02

386.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

$2.36 ₹224

26.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.3K

$4.16 ₹393

-4.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 31.8K

$0.74 ₹69.7

141.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

$0.48 ₹45.87

412.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

$0.84 ₹79.1

42.86%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

$1.09 ₹103

119.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 255.1K

$6.93 ₹655

107.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

$3.84 ₹363

11.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 209.4K

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.0K

$2.40 ₹227

57.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 28.9K

$0.81 ₹76.8

101.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

$1.24 ₹117

125.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

$0.69 ₹65.6

227.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.3K

$0.56 ₹53.1

257.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

$0.62 ₹59.0

256.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 18.9K

$0.64 ₹60.3

67.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.35 ₹33.44

117.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.4K

$4.24 ₹401

-26.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

$8.57 ₹811

177.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

$2.06 ₹195

37.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

$3.25 ₹308

-14.46%

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

$7.27 ₹687

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,726

$0.30 ₹28.54

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 148.2K

$8.97 ₹849

-6.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,034

$0.34 ₹31.76

32.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,578

$0.30 ₹28.82

43.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 105.9K

$1.38 ₹131

333.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.23 ₹116

-34.96%

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

$25.8K Rp 457.2M

$17.7K ₹1.7M

45.41%

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

$31.8K Rp 563.4M

$25.3K ₹2.4M

25.86%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$50.3 ₹4,762

60.39%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.3K

$5.00 ₹473

-17.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 427.2K

$8.74 ₹827

175.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$15.98 ₹1,512

511.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 117.7K

$7.01 ₹663

-5.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.5K

$4.70 ₹444

-14.04%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$119 ₹11.3K

149.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 116.7M

$3,389 ₹320.6K

94.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 976.8K

$29.95 ₹2,833

84.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 682.1K

$31.02 ₹2,935

24.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$55.7 ₹5,265

54.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$40.17 ₹3,800

94.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.5M

$122 ₹11.5K

707.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$76.1 ₹7,196

773.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.0M

$272 ₹25.7K

1166.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.2M

$178 ₹16.8K

1046.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.1M

$986 ₹93.2K

187.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.4M

$521 ₹49.3K

337.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Karad: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Ubud, Bali and $122 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 $299 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 190% in total monthly costs ($1,394 vs $480 including rent). Karad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,091 in Ubud, Bali and $720 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: $985 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 $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $480 in Karad – a 190% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karad runs roughly 7% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $480 in Karad versus $1,394 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 190% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.