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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $441 in Karakol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $644 in Karakol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $848 in Karakol.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 222% more expensive than Karakol, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Karakol is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$2.36 KGS 206

50.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$9.42 KGS 824

247.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.67 KGS 146

62.28%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.60 KGS 52.1

123.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.28 KGS 24.09

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$1.11 KGS 97.1

163.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$1.69 KGS 148

134.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$0.77 KGS 67.4

135.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.22 KGS 19.22

1045.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.41 KGS 123

-17.73%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.69 KGS 148

45.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$6.74 KGS 589

118.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$4.07 KGS 356

6.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$5.61 KGS 491

116.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$0.76 KGS 66.5

405.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.35 KGS 118

15.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.15 KGS 101

102.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.59 KGS 51.8

223.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.35 KGS 30.61

188.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.59 KGS 51.8

32.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$1.73 KGS 151

91.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$5.04 KGS 441

371.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.17 KGS 102

138.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.25 KGS 197

27.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.21 KGS 18.33

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$1.25 KGS 109

-63.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$38.33 KGS 3,351

108.56%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$4.19 KGS 366

-3.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$9.81 KGS 858

139.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$15.15 KGS 1,324

551.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$92.5 KGS 8,084

228.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$34.96 KGS 3,056

122.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$225 KGS 19.7K

347.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$174 KGS 15.2K

288.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$286 KGS 25.0K

1102.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$288 KGS 25.1K

609.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Karakol: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $225 in Karakol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $9.00 in Karakol for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 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 222% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $441 including rent). Karakol is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,129 in Ubud, Bali and $661 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: $1,006 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 136% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $441 in Karakol – a 222% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $441 in Karakol versus $1,419 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 222% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.