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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $523 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $856 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,189 in Kataragama, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 168% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% 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 64.0K

$3.93 LKR 1,310

-9.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$24.89 LKR 8,303

30.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$8.17 LKR 2,725

-40.51%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.64 LKR 882

4.17%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.69 LKR 229

91.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.41 LKR 136

70.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.31 LKR 770

25.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.45 LKR 1,149

9.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.71 LKR 572

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.56 LKR 187

341.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$0.85 LKR 284

41.18%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.23 LKR 742

9.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$13.81 LKR 4,608

4.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$4.75 LKR 1,585

-9.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$8.10 LKR 2,703

50.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$7.46 LKR 2,489

-50.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.08 LKR 359

43.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$5.84 LKR 1,948

-52.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.26 LKR 419

84.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.11 LKR 372

77.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.42 LKR 474

62.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.18 LKR 395

-10.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.57 LKR 189

28.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$10.10 LKR 3,369

-67.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$12.46 LKR 4,156

82.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$2.03 LKR 677

38.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.97 LKR 992

-6.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.42 LKR 139

7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.35 LKR 117

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$0.62 LKR 206

906.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.20 LKR 399

-29.17%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

-2.24%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-9.49%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$60.6 LKR 20.2K

33.32%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$4.21 LKR 1,405

-3.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$15.13 LKR 5,046

61.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$3.41 LKR 1,137

18.48%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$37.56 LKR 12.5K

709.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$449 LKR 149.6K

1376.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$27.99 LKR 9,335

93.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$19.33 LKR 6,447

100.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$70.5 LKR 23.5K

22.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$38.43 LKR 12.8K

99.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: June 9, 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: $297 vs $257 – 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 168% 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 $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $785 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,404 in Ubud, Bali and $523 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $37.56 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 $523, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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 $523 versus $1,404 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.