Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Lake Macquarie

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,349 a month against $2,218 in Lake Macquarie, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index
108

Cost of Living Index in Lake Macquarie
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Lake Macquarie Living Index

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Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,349

/mo nomad

Lake Macquarie

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,218

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Lake Macquarie

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Lake Macquarie actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,349 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,218 in Lake Macquarie, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $1,349
Lake Macquarie $2,218

A couple spends around $2,305 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,563 in Lake Macquarie, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $2,305
Lake Macquarie $3,563

A family of three spends $3,261 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $4,907 in Lake Macquarie, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $3,261
Lake Macquarie $4,907

Ubud, Bali is about 39% cheaper than Lake Macquarie, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 60.4K

$17.44 A$24.79

-80.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.64 Rp 647.8K

$84.6 A$120

-57.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 Rp 100.6K

$10.50 A$14.92

-47.33%

Cappuccino

$2.72 Rp 49.4K

$3.52 A$5.00

-22.73%

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

$1.70 Rp 30.9K

$3.15 A$4.47

-46.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.8K

$2.04 A$2.90

-62.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 Rp 48.2K

$7.20 A$10.23

-63.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 Rp 79.6K

$6.91 A$9.81

-36.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 Rp 27.1K

$1.15 A$1.64

29.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 Rp 41.4K

$1.50 A$2.13

52.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

$1.59 A$2.26

-25.16%

Eggs

$2.04 Rp 37.0K

$3.26 A$4.64

-37.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.70 Rp 321.7K

$7.87 A$11.18

124.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.96 Rp 72.0K

$7.47 A$10.62

-46.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.19 Rp 221.6K

$12.54 A$17.82

-2.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Rp 66.4K

$2.95 A$4.19

24.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 27.6K

$2.56 A$3.64

-40.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 40.5K

$2.56 A$3.64

-12.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.9K

$3.76 A$5.34

-47.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 33.6K

$2.38 A$3.38

-22.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 44.1K

$2.06 A$2.92

17.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 18.0K

$1.70 A$2.42

-41.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 9,332

$1.55 A$2.20

-67.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 40.4K

$29.27 A$41.59

-92.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.24 Rp 404.2K

$8.38 A$11.90

165.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 41.1K

$2.89 A$4.11

-21.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 Rp 54.0K

$2.28 A$3.25

30.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,562

$2.68 A$3.81

-90.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.82 Rp 142.2K

$82.9 A$118

-90.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,989

$2.02 A$2.87

-78.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,817

$3.18 A$4.52

-86.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 Rp 98.3K

$58.4 A$83.0

-90.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 15.0K

$1.34 A$1.90

-38.81%

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

$23.8K Rp 433.3M

$28.4K A$40.3K

-15.95%

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

$31.7K Rp 577.0M

$24.3K A$34.5K

30.75%

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

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

$236 A$335

-66.50%

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

$6.45 Rp 117.2K

$11.39 A$16.19

-43.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.58 Rp 337.7K

$41.79 A$59.4

-55.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.48 Rp 899.4K

$55.7 A$79.1

-11.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.65 Rp 320.8K

$18.12 A$25.75

-2.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.27 Rp 77.7K

$9.57 A$13.59

-55.38%

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

$491 Rp 8.9M

$1,489 A$2,115

-67.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,674 Rp 103.1M

$18.6K A$26.4K

-69.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.64 Rp 811.4K

$70.3 A$99.9

-36.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 Rp 635.3K

$37.06 A$52.7

-5.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 Rp 1.5M

$98.5 A$140

-18.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$111 A$158

-28.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 Rp 20.4M

$1,380 A$1,961

-18.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 Rp 12.2M

$1,040 A$1,478

-35.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,565 Rp 64.8M

$2,288 A$3,251

55.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 Rp 31.3M

$2,267 A$3,222

-23.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,732 Rp 49.6M

$5,477 A$7,782

-50.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 Rp 41.5M

$5,415 A$7,694

-57.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$5,072 A$7,207

-96.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.35

216.78%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lake Macquarie: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ubud, Bali

$672 49.8%

Lake Macquarie

$1K 46.9% 54.9% $368

Groceries & Markets

Ubud, Bali

$288 21.4%

Lake Macquarie

$276 12.5% 4.3% $12

Eating Out

Ubud, Bali

$108 8%

Lake Macquarie

$284 12.8% 164% $176

Clothing & Footwear

Ubud, Bali

$108 8%

Lake Macquarie

$143 6.4% 32.8% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ubud, Bali

$104 7.7%

Lake Macquarie

$289 13% 178% $185

Sport & Entertainment

Ubud, Bali

$58 4.3%

Lake Macquarie

$75 3.4% 28.9% $17

Getting Around

Ubud, Bali

$11 0.9%

Lake Macquarie

$112 5% 877% $100

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,125 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,380 in Lake Macquarie. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Lake Macquarie are about 31 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36 in Ubud, Bali versus $85 in Lake Macquarie. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Ubud, Bali vs $276 in Lake Macquarie – so Lake Macquarie wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🇦🇺 Lake Macquarie

🕒 Local time

10:16 10:16 AM

13:16 1:16 PM

3 h ahead of Ubud, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,800

1,059

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

1 AUD = 0.704 USD

1 AUD = 0.632 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18,175 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20,233 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 AUD (1 AUD = 0.632 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ubud, Bali Lake Macquarie 4,610 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Ubud, Bali
Lake Macquarie

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Macquarie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lake Macquarie is pricier by about 64%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,023 per month in Ubud, Bali and $3,327 in Lake Macquarie. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,125 there versus $1,380 in Lake Macquarie.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,349 in Ubud, Bali and $2,218 in Lake Macquarie. That makes Ubud, Bali about 39% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 91% less in Ubud, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,349 in Ubud, Bali and $2,218 in Lake Macquarie. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lake Macquarie makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.