Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Kathmandu

For one person, living is cheaper in Kathmandu: $481 a month against $1,348 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

66

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Kathmandu
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Kathmandu Living Index

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Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,348

/mo nomad

Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Nepal

$481

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Kathmandu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Kathmandu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $481 in Kathmandu.

Ubud, Bali $1,348
Kathmandu $481

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,312 in Ubud, Bali versus $767 in Kathmandu.

Ubud, Bali $2,312
Kathmandu $767

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,276 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,052 in Kathmandu.

Ubud, Bali $3,276
Kathmandu $1,052

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 180% more expensive than in Kathmandu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, Kathmandu is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 59.6K

$1.94 NPR 300

71.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.42 Rp 633.1K

$20.45 NPR 3,165

73.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 Rp 102.9K

$7.71 NPR 1,194

-25.29%

Cappuccino

$2.63 Rp 47.0K

$1.51 NPR 233

74.17%

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

$1.74 Rp 31.0K

$0.49 NPR 76.5

255.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$0.16 NPR 24.27

381.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$3.04 NPR 471

-10.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.8K

$3.27 NPR 506

38.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

$0.76 NPR 118

101.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 Rp 39.2K

$0.62 NPR 96.3

254.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

$0.85 NPR 131

43.53%

Eggs

$2.14 Rp 38.2K

$1.65 NPR 255

29.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.73 Rp 316.9K

$7.15 NPR 1,106

147.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 Rp 68.9K

$3.18 NPR 492

21.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 Rp 215.0K

$5.93 NPR 917

102.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 Rp 64.5K

$2.02 NPR 313

78.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

$1.16 NPR 179

30.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.4K

$1.43 NPR 222

62.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

$0.53 NPR 82.5

277.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$0.38 NPR 59.0

376.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.7K

$0.53 NPR 82.6

350.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

$0.45 NPR 69.6

120.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,373

$0.22 NPR 33.94

136.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 Rp 39.0K

$2.48 NPR 385

-12.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.98 Rp 410.7K

$7.83 NPR 1,211

193.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 Rp 42.8K

$2.29 NPR 355

4.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.6K

$3.08 NPR 476

-2.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,255

$0.17 NPR 26.30

41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.99 Rp 125.0K

$9.64 NPR 1,493

-27.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,876

$1.84 NPR 285

-76.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,582

$1.18 NPR 183

-64.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 Rp 97.4K

$3.18 NPR 492

71.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

$1.33 NPR 207

-36.84%

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

$24.3K Rp 434.8M

$28.7K NPR 4.4M

-15.16%

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

$31.9K Rp 570.0M

$36.0K NPR 5.6M

-11.46%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$31.63 NPR 4,895

155.55%

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

$6.58 Rp 117.6K

$3.48 NPR 538

89.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.24 Rp 326.1K

$8.94 NPR 1,384

104.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 Rp 985.4K

$21.47 NPR 3,323

156.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.51 Rp 330.9K

$6.71 NPR 1,038

175.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 75.9K

$3.00 NPR 465

41.33%

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

$486 Rp 8.7M

$66.8 NPR 10.3K

626.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,676 Rp 101.5M

$5,541 NPR 857.5K

2.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.18 Rp 807.6K

$24.59 NPR 3,806

83.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 Rp 617.9K

$26.39 NPR 4,084

31.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 Rp 1.4M

$63.1 NPR 9,761

25.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 Rp 1.4M

$28.31 NPR 4,381

174.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 Rp 20.1M

$216 NPR 33.5K

421.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 12.1M

$101 NPR 15.6K

568.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,618 Rp 64.7M

$430 NPR 66.5K

741.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 Rp 31.0M

$198 NPR 30.6K

777.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.6M

$2,248 NPR 347.9K

25.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,307 Rp 41.2M

$1,338 NPR 207.1K

72.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 Rp 3.0M

$264 NPR 40.9K

-37.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.72

41.77%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 5, 2026

Last update for Kathmandu: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ubud, Bali

$674 49.6%

Kathmandu

$101 21% 85% $573

Groceries & Markets

Ubud, Bali

$290 21.4%

Kathmandu

$144 30.1% 50.3% $146

Eating Out

Ubud, Bali

$108 8%

Kathmandu

$81 16.9% 25% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.8%

Kathmandu

$64 13.4% 39.8% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.8%

Kathmandu

$44 9.2% 58.3% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Ubud, Bali

$64 4.7%

Kathmandu

$27 5.7% 56.8% $36

Getting Around

Ubud, Bali

$11 0.8%

Kathmandu

$18 3.8% 72.1% $7.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,127 in Ubud, Bali and $216 in Kathmandu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kathmandu pays 60% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $20.00 in Kathmandu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $144 per month, with Kathmandu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🇳🇵 Kathmandu

🕒 Local time

18:32 6:32 PM

16:17 4:17 PM

2 h 15 min behind Ubud, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,800

975,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR

1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NPR, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,875 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,030 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR).

Nepalese Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 155 NPR (1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD). 1 EUR = 173 NPR (1,000 NPR = 5.77 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ubud, Bali Kathmandu 5,160 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Ubud, Bali
Kathmandu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kathmandu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kathmandu wins on cost – living expenses run 180% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kathmandu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 60% lower in Kathmandu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,127 in Ubud, Bali versus $216 in Kathmandu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kathmandu – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,348 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $481 in Kathmandu – a 180% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $481 in Kathmandu versus $1,348 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kathmandu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kathmandu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kathmandu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $481 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kathmandu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 180% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.