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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $370 in Karaikal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $564 in Karaikal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $758 in Karaikal, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 276% more than Karaikal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Karaikal is 72% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$0.82 ₹78.4

335.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$11.79 ₹1,125

174.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$4.13 ₹393

21.31%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$0.72 ₹68.8

291.67%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.36 ₹34.48

275.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.17 ₹16.55

329.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.08 ₹103

171.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$1.72 ₹164

129.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$0.51 ₹48.72

249.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.36 ₹34.78

580.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.56 ₹53.7

105.36%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$0.70 ₹66.5

244.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$3.00 ₹286

377.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$2.85 ₹272

47.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$1.37 ₹131

165.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$0.46 ₹43.82

241.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$0.84 ₹80.4

232.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$0.22 ₹20.86

918.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$0.24 ₹22.94

725.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$0.36 ₹34.39

533.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.16 ₹15.29

556.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.30 ₹28.92

163.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$2.97 ₹283

7.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$3.14 ₹300

648.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.41 ₹134

105.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.28 ₹217

21.05%

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

$4.15 ₹396

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.30 ₹28.98

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$8.64 ₹824

-3.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.18 ₹112

-61.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.24 ₹22.90

91.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$1.14 ₹109

432.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.09 ₹104

-21.10%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$9,311 ₹888.0K

185.53%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$10.6K ₹1.0M

205.75%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$45.55 ₹4,344

73.48%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$1.77 ₹169

131.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$6.88 ₹656

246.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$7.44 ₹710

1227.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$7.11 ₹678

-10.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$2.97 ₹283

35.02%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$23.46 ₹2,237

1167.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$1,739 ₹165.9K

279.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$11.80 ₹1,125

352.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$22.98 ₹2,192

65.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$40.23 ₹3,837

120.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$29.28 ₹2,793

161.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$201 ₹19.2K

406.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$123 ₹11.7K

454.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$305 ₹29.1K

1037.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$247 ₹23.6K

746.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$155 ₹14.7K

1384.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$414 ₹39.5K

-60.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.31

42.64%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Karaikal: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $201 in Karaikal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 153% higher in Karaikal, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $12.00 in Karaikal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $75.0 – making Karaikal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Karaikal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 276% more than Karaikal, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $555 in Karaikal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karaikal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 298% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $12.00 in Karaikal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Karaikal, where all-in costs run around $370, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. In Karaikal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Karaikal costs $370 versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Karaikal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.