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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $508 in Kathmandu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $787 in Kathmandu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,067 in Kathmandu.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 174% more expensive than in Kathmandu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Kathmandu is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$1.79 NPR 273

99.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$19.21 NPR 2,932

68.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$6.70 NPR 1,022

-25.22%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$1.92 NPR 293

46.87%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.54 NPR 83.1

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.19 NPR 29.56

284.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.53 NPR 386

15.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$3.54 NPR 540

11.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$0.87 NPR 133

104.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.58 NPR 89.1

322.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.95 NPR 145

21.05%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.84 NPR 281

30.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$9.22 NPR 1,407

55.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$3.10 NPR 473

35.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$6.04 NPR 921

99.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.27 NPR 346

60.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.08 NPR 166

45.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.20 NPR 183

132.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$0.65 NPR 98.9

244.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$0.48 NPR 72.9

312.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$0.67 NPR 102

240.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.50 NPR 75.6

110.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.27 NPR 41.40

192.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$2.94 NPR 448

8.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$8.86 NPR 1,352

165.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.34 NPR 357

23.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$3.27 NPR 499

-15.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.21 NPR 31.98

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$11.03 NPR 1,683

-24.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$2.21 NPR 337

-79.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$1.06 NPR 162

-56.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$3.73 NPR 569

62.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.24 NPR 189

-30.65%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$31.4K NPR 4.8M

-15.34%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$41.4K NPR 6.3M

-21.31%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$33.18 NPR 5,064

138.16%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$4.95 NPR 756

-17.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$9.65 NPR 1,473

147.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$21.94 NPR 3,349

350.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$7.45 NPR 1,137

-14.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$3.21 NPR 491

24.92%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$91.0 NPR 13.9K

226.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$3,763 NPR 574.3K

75.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$24.49 NPR 3,737

118.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$28.13 NPR 4,293

35.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$59.2 NPR 9,033

49.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$40.39 NPR 6,164

89.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$198 NPR 30.2K

415.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$99.0 NPR 15.1K

587.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$344 NPR 52.5K

908.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$184 NPR 28.0K

1037.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$2,331 NPR 355.7K

17.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$1,317 NPR 201.0K

74.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$269 NPR 41.1K

-39.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

12.08

9.93%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Kathmandu: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $198 in Kathmandu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kathmandu pays 64% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $19.00 in Kathmandu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $157 per month, with Kathmandu cheaper across the board.

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 174% 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 64% 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $198 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 $19.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $508 in Kathmandu – a 174% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $508 in Kathmandu versus $1,392 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 $508 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 174% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.