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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,106 in Knysna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,656 in Knysna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,757 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,206 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

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

$8.34 R 137

-58.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

$36.26 R 597

-9.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

$5.00 R 82.4

1.60%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

$2.22 R 36.64

27.03%

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$1.09 R 18.01

25.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$0.80 R 13.11

-11.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

$2.16 R 35.52

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

$2.30 R 37.87

70.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$1.16 R 19.12

50.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$0.92 R 15.09

173.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$1.58 R 26.07

-23.42%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$2.61 R 43.06

-10.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

$9.74 R 160

48.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

$4.37 R 72.0

-0.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

$6.75 R 111

78.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

$1.36 R 22.38

180.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.61 R 26.44

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

$1.30 R 21.34

107.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$1.66 R 27.26

34.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$1.39 R 22.86

36.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$1.41 R 23.18

54.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$1.15 R 18.97

-10.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$0.99 R 16.36

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

$2.73 R 44.96

16.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

$4.87 R 80.2

377.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$1.39 R 22.97

105.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$1.71 R 28.17

59.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

$1.68 R 27.59

-82.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

$1.11 R 18.21

-55.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

$0.96 R 15.78

-53.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

$3.95 R 65.0

58.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$1.35 R 22.19

-37.04%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

$22.4K R 368.6K

16.45%

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

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

$21.9K R 361.0K

43.85%

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$88.5 R 1,457

-9.81%

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

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

$22.63 R 373

-81.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

$40.63 R 669

-40.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$44.60 R 735

115.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

$6.82 R 112

-39.44%

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

$243 R 3,994

22.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

$4,319 R 71.1K

54.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

$50.9 R 838

8.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

$31.70 R 522

22.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

$109 R 1,801

-18.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$78.7 R 1,297

0.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

$474 R 7,812

114.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

$451 R 7,423

46.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

$766 R 12.6K

348.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

$734 R 12.1K

179.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

$1,032 R 17.0K

188.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

$1,027 R 16.9K

130.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 3.0M

$944 R 15.5K

-81.77%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Knysna: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $474 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 449% 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 $33 in Ubud, Bali versus $36 in Knysna. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Ubud, Bali vs $182 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 $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,658 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 $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $1,106 in Knysna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $297 per month in Ubud, Bali and $243 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 $1,106, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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.