Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Lake Balaton Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Lake Balaton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,111 in Lake Balaton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,684 in Lake Balaton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,257 in Lake Balaton.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 24% more expensive than in Lake Balaton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Lake Balaton is 19% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Lake Balaton
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.33 Rp 58.7K
$8.76 Ft 2,744
-61.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.82 Rp 630.7K
$46.68 Ft 14.6K
-23.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.63 Rp 99.1K
$8.54 Ft 2,675
-34.07%
Cappuccino
$2.82 Rp 49.7K
$2.00 Ft 627
41.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 Rp 30.8K
$1.36 Ft 425
28.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 Rp 14.0K
$1.01 Ft 315
-20.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.04 Rp 53.6K
$1.89 Ft 592
60.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.30 Rp 75.7K
$2.11 Ft 660
103.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Lake Balaton
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.61 Rp 28.3K
$1.05 Ft 329
53.33%
White Bread (500g)
$2.27 Rp 39.9K
$1.56 Ft 489
45.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.17 Rp 20.6K
$1.90 Ft 596
-38.42%
Eggs
$2.17 Rp 38.2K
$2.70 Ft 845
-19.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.63 Rp 310.5K
$9.46 Ft 2,962
86.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.05 Rp 71.4K
$5.80 Ft 1,818
-30.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.18 Rp 214.5K
$11.96 Ft 3,745
1.84%
Apples (1kg)
$3.62 Rp 63.7K
$1.80 Ft 564
101.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 Rp 28.8K
$2.00 Ft 626
-18.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 40.6K
$1.99 Ft 623
16.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.96 Rp 34.5K
$2.92 Ft 914
-32.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 Rp 32.5K
$1.06 Ft 331
73.58%
Onion (1kg)
$2.37 Rp 41.7K
$1.18 Ft 368
100.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.05 Rp 18.5K
$1.49 Ft 466
-29.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 Rp 9,560
$0.51 Ft 161
5.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.30 Rp 40.6K
$6.91 Ft 2,165
-66.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.08 Rp 406.4K
$5.81 Ft 1,819
297.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 Rp 41.2K
$1.03 Ft 324
127.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 Rp 54.0K
$1.48 Ft 462
107.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Lake Balaton
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,365
$1.14 Ft 356
-78.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.42 Rp 165.9K
$25.47 Ft 7,978
-63.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.49 Rp 8,631
$2.83 Ft 888
-82.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 Rp 8,349
$1.13 Ft 353
-58.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.60 Rp 98.6K
$17.46 Ft 5,468
-67.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.81 Rp 14.2K
$1.67 Ft 524
-51.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.0K Rp 440.3M
$25.5K Ft 8.0M
-2.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.1K Rp 547.0M
$30.4K Ft 9.5M
2.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Lake Balaton
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.7 Rp 1.5M
$142 Ft 44.4K
-41.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.49 Rp 114.2K
$26.40 Ft 8,268
-75.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.79 Rp 330.8K
$19.81 Ft 6,206
-5.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Lake Balaton
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.2 Rp 972.6K
$46.80 Ft 14.7K
18.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.21 Rp 320.6K
$17.10 Ft 5,358
6.49%
Cinema Ticket
$4.30 Rp 75.7K
$7.23 Ft 2,266
-40.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Lake Balaton
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 Rp 8.7M
$298 Ft 93.4K
65.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,917 Rp 104.2M
$6,424 Ft 2.0M
-7.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Lake Balaton
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.28 Rp 814.8K
$71.5 Ft 22.4K
-35.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.44 Rp 641.6K
$27.54 Ft 8,627
32.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.7 Rp 1.4M
$73.2 Ft 22.9K
10.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.8 Rp 1.4M
$78.9 Ft 24.7K
-0.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Lake Balaton
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,114 Rp 19.6M
$439 Ft 137.4K
154.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$693 Rp 12.2M
$341 Ft 106.8K
103.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,639 Rp 64.1M
$639 Ft 200.2K
469.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,712 Rp 30.1M
$525 Ft 164.5K
226.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,761 Rp 48.6M
$2,974 Ft 931.6K
-7.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,293 Rp 40.4M
$2,270 Ft 711.1K
0.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Lake Balaton
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$167 Rp 2.9M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
7.4
86.22%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Lake Balaton: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $439 in Lake Balaton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $47.00 in Lake Balaton. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $219, with Lake Balaton cheaper for home cooking.

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 Lake Balaton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lake Balaton cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Lake Balaton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,067 in Ubud, Bali and $1,666 in Lake Balaton to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Ubud, Bali and Lake Balaton?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $439 in Lake Balaton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $298 in Lake Balaton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Lake Balaton?
Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ubud, Bali or in Lake Balaton?
At $1,111 in Lake Balaton versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lake Balaton but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Lake Balaton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ubud, Bali or Lake Balaton more family-friendly?
For families, Lake Balaton 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.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or Lake Balaton?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Lake Balaton are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Lake Balaton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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