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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,451 in Kingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,475 in Kingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,498 in Kingston.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 2% less than in Kingston, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Kingston 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$7.61 JMD 1,192

-53.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$62.0 JMD 9,707

-47.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$8.80 JMD 1,379

-43.75%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$4.36 JMD 682

-37.84%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$1.32 JMD 207

1.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.74 JMD 117

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.57 JMD 403

13.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$3.20 JMD 501

23.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$4.36 JMD 684

-58.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$3.66 JMD 573

-31.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.57 JMD 246

-26.11%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$3.47 JMD 543

-29.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$11.19 JMD 1,754

31.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$6.42 JMD 1,007

-32.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$7.82 JMD 1,225

55.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$5.96 JMD 933

-35.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$3.13 JMD 491

-50.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$4.30 JMD 673

-34.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$2.96 JMD 464

-21.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$2.03 JMD 317

-5.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$2.01 JMD 315

9.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$3.12 JMD 489

-67.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.45 JMD 227

-46.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$8.89 JMD 1,393

-62.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$11.29 JMD 1,769

110.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$2.90 JMD 454

-3.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$3.20 JMD 502

-10.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.89 JMD 140

-69.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$48.53 JMD 7,604

-83.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$1.12 JMD 176

-58.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$3.15 JMD 494

-85.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$6.19 JMD 971

-1.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.28 JMD 201

-38.28%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$43.2K JMD 6.8M

-39.45%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

-4.90%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$163 JMD 25.5K

-50.90%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$22.49 JMD 3,523

-81.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$50.7 JMD 7,942

-53.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$69.4 JMD 10.9K

42.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$15.50 JMD 2,428

-57.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$12.92 JMD 2,024

-67.88%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$222 JMD 34.8K

36.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$2,451 JMD 384.0K

169.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$25.73 JMD 4,032

115.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$25.24 JMD 3,955

51.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$72.4 JMD 11.3K

22.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$75.6 JMD 11.8K

2.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$880 JMD 137.9K

14.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$451 JMD 70.7K

49.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$2,021 JMD 316.7K

70.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$1,204 JMD 188.7K

69.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$2,863 JMD 448.5K

-0.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$2,192 JMD 343.5K

3.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$732 JMD 114.7K

-77.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.15

45.14%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kingston: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $880 in Kingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston pays 343% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $62.0 in Kingston for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $353 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 Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Kingston. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Kingston earns 343% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $880 in Kingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $222 in Kingston. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Kingston. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,451 in Kingston, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Kingston. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,419 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Kingston 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Kingston. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.