Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and La Merced Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and La Merced

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $525 in La Merced, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $874 in La Merced, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,223 in La Merced, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 170% more than La Merced, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while La Merced is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$4.28 PEN 14.54

-16.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$32.88 PEN 112

-0.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$6.91 PEN 23.49

-28.36%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.65 PEN 9.00

2.26%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.92 PEN 3.14

45.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.61 PEN 2.08

14.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.16 PEN 7.33

35.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$3.99 PEN 13.57

-0.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.43 PEN 4.86

26.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.93 PEN 6.55

30.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.26 PEN 4.30

-7.94%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.17 PEN 7.39

13.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$6.81 PEN 23.18

116.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$5.46 PEN 18.57

-20.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$8.25 PEN 28.06

47.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$0.90 PEN 3.06

326.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$0.40 PEN 1.36

290.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$0.29 PEN 0.99

875.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$0.71 PEN 2.42

228.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.29 PEN 1.00

558.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.41 PEN 1.38

436.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.58 PEN 1.97

74.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.92 PEN 3.14

-15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$5.69 PEN 19.37

-41.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$7.23 PEN 24.60

228.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.71 PEN 5.81

63.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.92 PEN 9.94

-2.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$3.37 PEN 11.48

-86.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$2.23 PEN 7.57

-79.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$8.48 PEN 28.86

-28.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.29 PEN 4.40

-38.76%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$19.3K PEN 65.6K

35.59%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$24.4K PEN 83.0K

31.67%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$57.0 PEN 194

40.20%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$12.81 PEN 43.59

-68.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$24.02 PEN 81.7

-2.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$6.78 PEN 23.08

-38.79%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$217 PEN 737

40.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$8,005 PEN 27.2K

-17.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$49.58 PEN 169

12.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$35.87 PEN 122

6.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$92.1 PEN 313

-3.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$88.6 PEN 301

-12.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.11

31.36%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for La Merced: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $33.00 in La Merced. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Ubud, Bali vs $175 in La Merced – so La Merced wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 La Merced: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 170% more than La Merced, 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 $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $788 in La Merced. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $525 in La Merced. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $217 in La Merced. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in La Merced, where all-in costs run around $525, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In La Merced 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. La Merced costs $525 versus $1,419 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 La Merced. 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.