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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,260 in Kawagoe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,991 in Kawagoe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,722 in Kawagoe.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 12% more expensive than in Kawagoe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Kawagoe is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$6.88 ¥1,117

-49.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$34.69 ¥5,636

-6.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$5.09 ¥827

-4.91%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.87 ¥466

-4.18%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.01 ¥165

36.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.74 ¥120

1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.11 ¥343

41.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.13 ¥347

80.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.68 ¥272

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.97 ¥321

24.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$7.86 ¥1,277

-85.11%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.51 ¥245

60.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$12.32 ¥2,001

17.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$12.25 ¥1,990

-64.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$16.59 ¥2,696

-27.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$7.76 ¥1,260

-52.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$2.56 ¥417

-36.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$4.38 ¥711

-37.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$4.49 ¥729

-50.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$3.61 ¥587

-46.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$3.67 ¥597

-37.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.38 ¥224

-23.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$1.20 ¥195

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$4.31 ¥701

-23.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$7.84 ¥1,273

195.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.49 ¥404

11.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$3.44 ¥560

-20.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$1.67 ¥272

-83.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$56.1 ¥9,121

-85.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$3.52 ¥572

-86.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$2.88 ¥468

-85.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$20.84 ¥3,385

-70.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.14 ¥185

-28.95%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$24.3K ¥3.9M

9.48%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$17.2K ¥2.8M

87.00%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$82.3 ¥13.4K

-4.82%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$10.55 ¥1,715

-61.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$17.24 ¥2,802

41.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$73.5 ¥11.9K

34.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$14.10 ¥2,291

-55.04%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$11.63 ¥1,890

-65.69%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$276 ¥44.9K

10.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$13.4K ¥2.2M

-50.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$42.49 ¥6,904

27.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$29.86 ¥4,852

26.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$59.2 ¥9,615

46.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$97.7 ¥15.9K

-21.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$476 ¥77.4K

108.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$323 ¥52.5K

108.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$872 ¥141.7K

286.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$658 ¥106.8K

211.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$2,500 ¥406.1K

12.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$2,117 ¥343.9K

5.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$1,550 ¥251.9K

-89.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

564.00%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Kawagoe: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $476 in Kawagoe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kawagoe pays 828% 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 $35.00 in Kawagoe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $389 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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 Kawagoe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Kawagoe differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $1,260 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 828% lower in Kawagoe. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $476 in Kawagoe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kawagoe – a meal for two runs $35.00 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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,260 in Kawagoe – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Kawagoe versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kawagoe but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kawagoe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Kawagoe 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 Kawagoe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.