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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,397 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,104 in Knysna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,588 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,626 in Knysna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,778 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,148 in Knysna, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 27% more than Knysna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Knysna is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 Rp 61.4K

$8.46 R 139

-59.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.97 Rp 572.4K

$36.33 R 596

-12.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 Rp 90.4K

$4.91 R 80.5

2.85%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$2.12 R 34.75

27.83%

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

$1.39 Rp 24.9K

$1.14 R 18.64

21.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$0.79 R 12.87

-6.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 Rp 51.8K

$2.07 R 33.89

39.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 67.9K

$2.22 R 36.46

70.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

$1.19 R 19.56

50.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 Rp 44.9K

$0.90 R 14.82

178.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.7K

$1.58 R 25.95

-23.42%

Eggs

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

$2.65 R 43.42

-10.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 Rp 258.4K

$10.06 R 165

43.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$4.47 R 73.2

-7.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 Rp 216.9K

$6.66 R 109

81.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 Rp 67.5K

$1.36 R 22.37

177.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$1.67 R 27.37

-2.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

$1.24 R 20.35

118.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.4K

$1.64 R 26.89

37.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.5K

$1.45 R 23.85

33.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

$1.35 R 22.07

62.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.2K

$1.14 R 18.72

-10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

$0.99 R 16.27

-27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 57.0K

$2.75 R 45.15

15.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.84 Rp 426.8K

$4.95 R 81.2

381.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 Rp 49.7K

$1.37 R 22.52

102.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$1.64 R 26.85

67.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$1.61 R 26.47

-83.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.20 Rp 146.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,653

$1.10 R 18.09

-56.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.95 R 15.55

-55.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 Rp 107.9K

$3.93 R 64.5

53.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$1.36 R 22.24

-39.71%

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

$26.6K Rp 475.6M

$22.5K R 368.7K

18.11%

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

$32.2K Rp 576.6M

$21.7K R 355.1K

48.66%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$86.8 R 1,423

-9.87%

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

$3.91 Rp 70.1K

$22.18 R 364

-82.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 Rp 428.2K

$41.04 R 673

-41.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$45.54 R 747

111.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 116.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 71.9K

$6.59 R 108

-39.15%

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

$303 Rp 5.4M

$236 R 3,873

28.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,551 Rp 117.3M

$4,280 R 70.2K

53.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 Rp 990.4K

$51.2 R 839

8.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 Rp 686.1K

$31.72 R 520

20.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

$111 R 1,824

-20.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$79.5 R 1,304

-3.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.6M

$475 R 7,793

107.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 Rp 12.2M

$451 R 7,390

51.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,420 Rp 61.2M

$746 R 12.2K

358.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 Rp 37.1M

$724 R 11.9K

186.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,762 Rp 49.5M

$1,000 R 16.4K

176.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 Rp 40.2M

$1,023 R 16.8K

119.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$914 R 15.0K

-81.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

12.25

8.41%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 22, 2026

Last update for Knysna: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $475 in Knysna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 442% higher in Knysna, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $36.00 in Knysna. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $184 in Knysna – so Knysna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Knysna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,096 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,655 in Knysna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Knysna, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,397 in Ubud, Bali and $1,104 in Knysna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Ubud, Bali and $236 in Knysna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Knysna, where all-in costs run around $1,104, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,397. In Knysna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Knysna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Knysna. 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.