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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $518 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $856 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,194 in Kataragama, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 178% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Kataragama is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$3.97 LKR 1,266

-10.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$25.22 LKR 8,043

29.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$8.58 LKR 2,735

-40.91%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.64 LKR 841

7.20%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.69 LKR 219

94.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.37 LKR 119

86.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.38 LKR 758

25.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$3.45 LKR 1,100

11.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.69 LKR 539

2.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.52 LKR 165

388.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.83 LKR 264

43.37%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.15 LKR 685

13.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$14.04 LKR 4,477

4.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$4.55 LKR 1,452

-8.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$8.06 LKR 2,571

48.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$7.64 LKR 2,436

-51.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.06 LKR 339

51.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$5.74 LKR 1,832

-53.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.21 LKR 387

92.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.11 LKR 353

72.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.36 LKR 434

61.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.19 LKR 380

-10.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.56 LKR 178

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$10.24 LKR 3,266

-69.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$12.61 LKR 4,023

86.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.06 LKR 657

33.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.84 LKR 907

1.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.42 LKR 133

7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.33 LKR 105

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$0.57 LKR 181

980.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.21 LKR 387

-30.58%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$26.8K LKR 8.5M

-2.01%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$34.8K LKR 11.1M

-6.68%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$61.0 LKR 19.4K

28.66%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$4.44 LKR 1,414

-11.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$14.86 LKR 4,738

64.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$3.31 LKR 1,057

22.05%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$36.74 LKR 11.7K

723.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$444 LKR 141.7K

1367.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$27.64 LKR 8,813

94.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$19.74 LKR 6,295

92.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$68.6 LKR 21.9K

26.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$38.91 LKR 12.4K

102.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

16.45

-19.27%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $25.00 in Kataragama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $255 – making Kataragama 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 Kataragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 178% more than Kataragama, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $776 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $518 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Ubud, Bali and $36.74 in Kataragama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kataragama, where all-in costs run around $518, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In Kataragama 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. Kataragama costs $518 versus $1,438 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 Kataragama. 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.