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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $441 in Karakol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $653 in Karakol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $864 in Karakol.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 217% more expensive than in Karakol, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Karakol is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$2.27 KGS 199

48.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$9.20 KGS 804

319.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$1.74 KGS 152

51.72%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$0.59 KGS 51.9

183.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.30 KGS 26.44

156.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$1.11 KGS 97.0

136.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$1.68 KGS 147

154.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$0.77 KGS 67.4

101.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$0.24 KGS 21.03

825.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$1.36 KGS 119

-16.91%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$1.67 KGS 146

25.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$6.83 KGS 597

154.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$4.09 KGS 358

-5.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

$5.88 KGS 514

113.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$0.79 KGS 69.0

358.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.39 KGS 121

12.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$1.11 KGS 97.0

85.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$0.59 KGS 51.9

222.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.35 KGS 30.77

194.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$0.59 KGS 51.2

-6.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$1.73 KGS 152

30.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$5.18 KGS 453

359.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.15 KGS 101

100.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$2.35 KGS 205

19.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.17 KGS 14.98

58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$1.27 KGS 111

-62.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.02 KGS 89.1

-25.49%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$39.52 KGS 3,455

111.41%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$4.35 KGS 380

48.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

$9.98 KGS 873

90.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

$15.53 KGS 1,357

260.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$91.7 KGS 8,015

430.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$34.61 KGS 3,026

132.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$233 KGS 20.3K

379.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$169 KGS 14.7K

316.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$290 KGS 25.4K

1117.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$280 KGS 24.5K

528.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Karakol: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $233 in Karakol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $9.00 in Karakol for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $130 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 217% in total monthly costs ($1,396 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 $2,095 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: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $233 in Karakol. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 126% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $441 in Karakol – a 217% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $441 in Karakol versus $1,396 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 217% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.