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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $434 in Karakol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $636 in Karakol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $838 in Karakol.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 225% more expensive than in Karakol, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Karakol is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

$2.26 KGS 198

52.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

$9.22 KGS 806

250.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

$1.74 KGS 152

58.05%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.59 KGS 51.9

133.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$0.28 KGS 24.27

167.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

$1.17 KGS 102

155.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

$1.76 KGS 154

118.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$0.77 KGS 67.1

125.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

$0.24 KGS 21.07

925.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$1.34 KGS 117

-12.69%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

$1.67 KGS 146

45.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

$6.97 KGS 609

108.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

$3.89 KGS 340

11.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

$5.61 KGS 490

113.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

$0.82 KGS 71.4

353.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$1.39 KGS 122

17.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

$1.17 KGS 102

91.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

$0.56 KGS 48.54

242.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

$0.32 KGS 28.35

231.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.58 KGS 50.8

24.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

$1.74 KGS 152

89.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

$5.11 KGS 447

353.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

$1.16 KGS 102

139.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

$2.36 KGS 206

15.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,765

$0.21 KGS 18.78

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,636

$1.31 KGS 115

-63.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,511

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

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

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

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

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$38.68 KGS 3,381

102.56%

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

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

$4.19 KGS 366

-2.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

$9.82 KGS 858

147.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$15.48 KGS 1,353

537.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$92.2 KGS 8,062

230.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$33.80 KGS 2,955

125.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.7M

$225 KGS 19.7K

341.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.0M

$172 KGS 15.1K

290.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

$283 KGS 24.8K

1091.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

$290 KGS 25.4K

606.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Karakol: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $225 in Karakol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $9.00 in Karakol for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $128 per month, with Karakol 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 Karakol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Karakol differ by about 225% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $434 including rent). Karakol is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,112 in Ubud, Bali and $650 in Karakol 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $225 in Karakol. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 132% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $434 in Karakol – a 225% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $434 in Karakol versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karakol but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Karakol 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 Karakol 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 Karakol gentler on the wallet – expenses run 225% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.