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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $442 in Kurunegala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $760 in Kurunegala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,079 in Kurunegala.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 218% more expensive than in Kurunegala, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Kurunegala is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$1.88 LKR 632

83.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$25.46 LKR 8,556

27.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$4.92 LKR 1,655

-1.63%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.74 LKR 920

0.36%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.44 LKR 148

213.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.38 LKR 128

97.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.98 LKR 665

51.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.95 LKR 991

30.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.68 LKR 566

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.52 LKR 173

373.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.88 LKR 295

32.95%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.11 LKR 709

15.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$14.17 LKR 4,763

2.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$4.55 LKR 1,530

-4.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$8.16 LKR 2,742

46.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$7.58 LKR 2,549

-50.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.11 LKR 374

46.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$5.81 LKR 1,951

-52.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.26 LKR 424

77.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.11 LKR 375

72.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.43 LKR 479

59.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.16 LKR 389

-8.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.61 LKR 204

18.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$9.96 LKR 3,346

-66.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$12.42 LKR 4,175

86.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.06 LKR 694

34.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.97 LKR 999

-8.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.32 LKR 107

-15.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$0.38 LKR 129

26.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.33 LKR 110

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$0.58 LKR 194

972.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.22 LKR 409

-33.61%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

0.85%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

-9.13%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$26.71 LKR 8,977

193.34%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$1.96 LKR 659

107.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$14.90 LKR 5,008

63.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$8.61 LKR 2,892

1045.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$1.31 LKR 440

204.58%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$36.92 LKR 12.4K

726.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$443 LKR 148.7K

1400.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$11.61 LKR 3,900

366.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$19.16 LKR 6,439

97.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$44.17 LKR 14.8K

96.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$38.28 LKR 12.9K

99.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$102 LKR 34.2K

874.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$198 LKR 66.5K

1606.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$150 LKR 50.4K

11.38%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Kurunegala: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $102 in Kurunegala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 11% 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: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $25.00 in Kurunegala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $257 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 218% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 11% higher in Ubud, Bali, 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $102 in Kurunegala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $36.92 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $442 in Kurunegala versus $1,408 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 218% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.