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 $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $514 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $840 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,167 in Kataragama, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 166% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Kataragama is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$4.33 LKR 1,431

-20.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

$25.82 LKR 8,537

40.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$7.48 LKR 2,475

-23.66%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.54 LKR 841

5.12%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.73 LKR 241

139.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.27 LKR 89.8

222.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$2.19 LKR 724

34.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$3.03 LKR 1,001

49.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.57 LKR 519

3.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.57 LKR 188

308.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.79 LKR 261

40.51%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.60 LKR 530

37.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

$13.41 LKR 4,435

31.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$5.12 LKR 1,694

-19.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$7.24 LKR 2,395

68.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$6.97 LKR 2,306

-46.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$0.90 LKR 297

76.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$4.20 LKR 1,388

-45.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.24 LKR 410

57.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.02 LKR 337

87.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$0.76 LKR 253

206.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.90 LKR 297

12.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,791

$0.49 LKR 161

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$10.45 LKR 3,455

-78.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

$13.91 LKR 4,598

65.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.90 LKR 628

27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$2.80 LKR 925

7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,582

$0.42 LKR 138

14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,693

$0.38 LKR 127

13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$0.92 LKR 306

513.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.32 LKR 438

-39.39%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

$30.8K LKR 10.2M

-19.14%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

$42.4K LKR 14.0M

-25.19%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$56.3 LKR 18.6K

44.71%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$4.22 LKR 1,394

53.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

$21.22 LKR 7,016

-11.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$4.41 LKR 1,457

2.95%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$38.81 LKR 12.8K

1138.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$1,230 LKR 406.8K

364.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

$20.01 LKR 6,616

127.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

$16.47 LKR 5,447

117.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$79.0 LKR 26.1K

1.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$43.14 LKR 14.3K

82.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

12.69

8.59%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $26.00 in Kataragama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $239 – 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 166% 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 $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $771 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $514 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $481 per month in Ubud, Bali and $38.81 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 $514, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. 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 $514 versus $1,368 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.