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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $466 in Kurunegala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $765 in Kurunegala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,064 in Kurunegala.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 200% more expensive than in Kurunegala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Kurunegala is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$1.80 LKR 591

87.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.4K

$24.79 LKR 8,134

55.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$4.59 LKR 1,505

20.26%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$2.52 LKR 826

4.76%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$0.44 LKR 144

279.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.27 LKR 89.5

185.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$2.21 LKR 726

19.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$3.00 LKR 985

42.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.51 LKR 495

2.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$0.44 LKR 146

404.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$0.80 LKR 262

41.25%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$1.63 LKR 536

28.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.7K

$13.38 LKR 4,391

29.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$4.99 LKR 1,636

-22.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.3K

$7.54 LKR 2,472

66.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$6.72 LKR 2,206

-46.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$0.87 LKR 285

79.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$4.27 LKR 1,400

-44.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$1.23 LKR 405

67.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$1.02 LKR 335

86.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.77 LKR 251

203.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.91 LKR 297

13.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,781

$0.46 LKR 149

19.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$10.42 LKR 3,417

-78.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.8K

$13.90 LKR 4,560

71.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.92 LKR 629

20.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$2.81 LKR 922

-0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,803

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,490

$0.39 LKR 127

23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,865

$0.31 LKR 102

45.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$0.90 LKR 294

535.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.05 LKR 345

-27.62%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.7M

$30.2K LKR 9.9M

-18.80%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.4M

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

-23.47%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$54.1 LKR 17.7K

54.55%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$4.30 LKR 1,411

50.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.9K

$21.19 LKR 6,952

-10.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 987.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$4.31 LKR 1,414

-0.70%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$37.64 LKR 12.4K

1192.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.3M

$1,219 LKR 399.9K

380.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.3K

$20.34 LKR 6,673

123.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.5K

$16.97 LKR 5,568

114.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$80.2 LKR 26.3K

2.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$42.13 LKR 13.8K

90.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$152 LKR 50.0K

11.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

12.69

8.59%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Kurunegala: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $25.00 in Kurunegala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $236 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, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 200% 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.

Childcare runs $487 in Ubud, Bali versus $37.64 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $466 in Kurunegala versus $1,396 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 200% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.