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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $532 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $853 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,174 in Kataragama, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 162% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Kataragama is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$3.98 LKR 1,335

-10.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$24.92 LKR 8,361

29.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$8.13 LKR 2,728

-38.38%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.72 LKR 912

3.68%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.72 LKR 243

87.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.41 LKR 136

78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.27 LKR 762

29.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$3.44 LKR 1,155

14.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.70 LKR 571

4.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.56 LKR 186

337.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.82 LKR 274

40.24%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.14 LKR 719

12.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$13.91 LKR 4,667

3.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$4.61 LKR 1,547

-9.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$7.91 LKR 2,655

52.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$7.56 LKR 2,537

-51.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.07 LKR 358

46.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$5.76 LKR 1,934

-51.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.24 LKR 417

80.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.12 LKR 374

76.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.36 LKR 457

67.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.15 LKR 387

-8.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.59 LKR 198

33.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$9.97 LKR 3,344

-68.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$12.70 LKR 4,261

84.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.03 LKR 682

42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.86 LKR 961

-3.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$0.39 LKR 130

15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.33 LKR 110

39.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$0.57 LKR 190

964.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.25 LKR 420

-31.20%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

0.54%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

-4.98%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$61.2 LKR 20.5K

29.14%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$4.29 LKR 1,440

-4.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$15.36 LKR 5,155

55.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$3.28 LKR 1,101

22.26%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$36.58 LKR 12.3K

712.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$448 LKR 150.5K

1372.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$27.70 LKR 9,295

92.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$19.53 LKR 6,552

95.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

28.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$38.10 LKR 12.8K

101.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 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 162% 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 $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $798 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,392 in Ubud, Bali and $532 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $297 per month in Ubud, Bali and $36.58 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 $532, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. 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 $532 versus $1,392 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.