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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $272 in Kottayam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $438 in Kottayam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,275 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $604 in Kottayam, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 406% more than Kottayam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Kottayam is 80% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$1.04 ₹99.3

220.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$10.42 ₹995

243.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$4.27 ₹408

31.85%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$0.76 ₹73.1

271.05%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.33 ₹31.79

430.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.17 ₹16.46

370.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.25 ₹120

143.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.71 ₹259

58.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$0.54 ₹51.3

198.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.38 ₹36.77

497.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$0.65 ₹61.8

80.00%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$0.80 ₹76.6

171.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$2.17 ₹208

712.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$3.00 ₹287

35.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.41 ₹230

50.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$0.60 ₹57.7

173.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.19 ₹114

94.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$0.38 ₹36.29

415.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.40 ₹38.39

360.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.46 ₹44.11

415.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.38 ₹36.44

176.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.31 ₹29.87

74.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$4.98 ₹476

-53.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$3.88 ₹371

494.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.58 ₹151

48.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$3.11 ₹298

-1.29%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.22 ₹403

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.31 ₹30.05

-19.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$9.05 ₹865

4.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.03 ₹98.8

-52.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.26 ₹24.81

80.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$1.61 ₹153

247.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.11 ₹107

-27.03%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$9,407 ₹898.8K

165.86%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$14.6K ₹1.4M

113.37%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$21.31 ₹2,036

288.17%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$3.45 ₹330

88.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$6.79 ₹649

176.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$6.21 ₹594

789.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$8.99 ₹858

102.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$1.67 ₹160

157.49%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$10.76 ₹1,028

4492.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$1,365 ₹130.5K

333.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$18.29 ₹1,747

153.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$16.18 ₹1,545

125.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$21.19 ₹2,025

280.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$12.01 ₹1,148

556.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$127 ₹12.1K

779.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$52.8 ₹5,047

1212.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$266 ₹25.4K

1269.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$115 ₹11.0K

1387.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$944 ₹90.1K

192.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$552 ₹52.7K

315.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$288 ₹27.5K

-41.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

53.11%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kottayam: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $127 in Kottayam. 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 72% higher in Kottayam, 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $10.00 in Kottayam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $88.0 – making Kottayam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kottayam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 406% more than Kottayam, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,067 per month in Ubud, Bali and $409 in Kottayam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kottayam, 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 $1,378 in Ubud, Bali and $272 in Kottayam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Kottayam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kottayam, where all-in costs run around $272, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. In Kottayam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kottayam costs $272 versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kottayam. 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.