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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $524 in Karaj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $996 in Karaj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,467 in Karaj.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 165% more expensive than in Karaj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Karaj is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$3.99 $3.99

-10.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$17.94 $17.94

80.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$4.89 $4.89

2.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.63 $0.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$1.30 $1.30

116.92%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.46 $0.46

193.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$1.08 $1.08

-32.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$0.63 $0.63

182.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.53 $0.53

362.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.95 $1.95

-41.03%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.04 $1.04

131.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$3.54 $3.54

304.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$3.30 $3.30

26.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$10.82 $10.82

11.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$0.82 $0.82

343.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.45 $1.45

8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$0.83 $0.83

236.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$0.46 $0.46

386.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$0.44 $0.44

350.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$0.44 $0.44

418.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.60 $0.60

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.19 $0.19

315.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.59 $0.59

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 $0.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 $1.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$2.55 $2.55

25.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.22 $0.22

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$12.83 $12.83

-34.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$0.29 $0.29

55.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.31 $0.31

48.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$2.53 $2.53

139.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.74 $0.74

16.22%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$81.5K $81.5K

-67.39%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$54.1K $54.1K

-39.85%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$14.13 $14.13

459.24%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$2.10 $2.10

94.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$5.77 $5.77

313.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$23.12 $23.12

327.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$9.85 $9.85

-35.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$1.54 $1.54

160.39%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$129 $129

129.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$811 $811

713.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$25.21 $25.21

111.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$33.98 $33.98

12.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$96.0 $96.0

-7.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$61.1 $61.1

25.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$370 $370

175.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$195 $195

248.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$874 $874

296.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$622 $622

236.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$1,269 $1,269

114.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$532 $532

331.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$246 $246

-33.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

22.67

-41.42%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Karaj: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $370 in Karaj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karaj pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $18.00 in Karaj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $108 per month, with Karaj 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 Karaj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Karaj differ by about 165% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $524 including rent). Karaj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 50% lower in Karaj. 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $370 in Karaj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 175% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Karaj – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $524 in Karaj versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karaj but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Karaj 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 Karaj 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 Karaj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 165% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.