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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $454 in Kurunegala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $758 in Kurunegala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,063 in Kurunegala.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 213% more expensive than Kurunegala, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Kurunegala is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$1.95 LKR 650

82.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$24.83 LKR 8,281

31.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$4.94 LKR 1,648

0.20%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$2.62 LKR 875

3.44%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.44 LKR 146

204.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.37 LKR 125

89.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$1.92 LKR 640

52.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$2.91 LKR 972

36.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.72 LKR 572

5.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$0.52 LKR 172

384.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$0.85 LKR 285

36.47%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.15 LKR 718

14.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$13.80 LKR 4,603

6.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$4.55 LKR 1,516

-5.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$7.85 LKR 2,618

54.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$7.57 LKR 2,525

-49.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.12 LKR 374

39.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$5.73 LKR 1,909

-50.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.19 LKR 398

95.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.15 LKR 384

66.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.43 LKR 476

53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.18 LKR 394

-14.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.57 LKR 189

36.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$9.93 LKR 3,313

-66.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$12.82 LKR 4,276

85.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$2.07 LKR 691

34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.97 LKR 991

-3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.32 LKR 106

-15.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$0.39 LKR 130

17.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$0.35 LKR 118

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$0.56 LKR 187

989.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.26 LKR 421

-37.30%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

-0.89%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$35.4K LKR 11.8M

-9.19%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$26.63 LKR 8,882

200.19%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$1.96 LKR 654

107.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$15.05 LKR 5,019

56.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$8.18 LKR 2,730

1106.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$1.32 LKR 442

214.39%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$36.40 LKR 12.1K

735.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$441 LKR 147.0K

1400.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$11.62 LKR 3,876

377.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$19.62 LKR 6,543

95.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$44.16 LKR 14.7K

100.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$38.27 LKR 12.8K

103.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$99.4 LKR 33.2K

912.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$202 LKR 67.2K

1607.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$153 LKR 51.1K

7.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

16.45

-19.27%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kurunegala: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $99.4 in Kurunegala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 8% 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 $25.00 in Kurunegala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $255 per month, with Kurunegala 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 Kurunegala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kurunegala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 213% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ubud, Bali pays 8% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $99.4 in Kurunegala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $36.40 in Kurunegala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kurunegala – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $454 in Kurunegala versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kurunegala but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kurunegala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kurunegala 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 Kurunegala 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 Kurunegala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 213% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.