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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $753 in Kukes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,133 in Kukes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,513 in Kukes.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 83% more expensive than in Kukes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Kukes is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.88 ALL 306

-14.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$22.80 ALL 1,801

57.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$7.69 ALL 607

-26.79%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$1.51 ALL 119

86.75%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$1.37 ALL 108

27.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.69 ALL 54.8

15.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.88 ALL 148

61.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.26 ALL 178

90.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.66 ALL 131

-3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.85 ALL 67.4

167.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$2.07 ALL 164

-43.48%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.75 ALL 217

-21.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$9.70 ALL 766

81.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$7.42 ALL 586

-45.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$10.92 ALL 862

11.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$0.98 ALL 77.8

269.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.98 ALL 156

-17.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.04 ALL 82.1

122.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.69 ALL 134

15.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.79 ALL 62.8

132.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.09 ALL 85.7

117.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.09 ALL 86.2

-3.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.67 ALL 52.8

-19.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$4.52 ALL 357

-49.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$7.79 ALL 615

196.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.11 ALL 87.5

110.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.67 ALL 132

83.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.49 ALL 38.95

-48.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$20.48 ALL 1,617

-54.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$3.89 ALL 307

-87.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$3.97 ALL 313

-88.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$4.98 ALL 394

12.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$2.27 ALL 179

-64.32%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$34.2K ALL 2.7M

-26.96%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$25.5K ALL 2.0M

21.60%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$63.3 ALL 4,998

30.72%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$16.46 ALL 1,300

-60.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$17.83 ALL 1,408

5.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$58.1 ALL 4,589

-4.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$12.75 ALL 1,007

42.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$3.89 ALL 307

10.54%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$103 ALL 8,134

379.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$37.62 ALL 2,971

23.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$28.63 ALL 2,261

27.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$51.3 ALL 4,054

57.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$44.62 ALL 3,524

76.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$240 ALL 19.0K

363.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$175 ALL 13.8K

296.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$287 ALL 22.6K

1169.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$213 ALL 16.8K

702.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$1,915 ALL 151.2K

44.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,264 ALL 99.9K

81.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$545 ALL 43.0K

-69.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

175.60%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kukes: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $240 in Kukes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kukes pays 226% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $23.00 in Kukes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $214 per month, with Kukes 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 Kukes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kukes is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 226% lower in Kukes. 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $240 in Kukes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kukes runs roughly 117% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $103 in Kukes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $753 in Kukes versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kukes but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kukes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kukes is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Kukes 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 Kukes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.