Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Locarno Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Locarno

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,806 in Locarno, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $4,585 in Locarno, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $6,365 in Locarno, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 49% cheaper than Locarno, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Locarno sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 6%, Locarno by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$27.84 CHF 21.95

-87.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$145 CHF 115

-77.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$16.95 CHF 13.37

-70.80%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$4.90 CHF 3.87

-44.69%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$5.15 CHF 4.06

-73.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$4.54 CHF 3.58

-84.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$7.58 CHF 5.98

-61.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$7.04 CHF 5.55

-43.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.81 CHF 1.42

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$2.70 CHF 2.13

-6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$2.50 CHF 1.97

-53.60%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$5.94 CHF 4.68

-58.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$27.66 CHF 21.80

-46.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$14.74 CHF 11.62

-70.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$37.34 CHF 29.44

-67.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.77 CHF 2.18

38.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.90 CHF 1.50

-17.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.83 CHF 1.45

54.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$3.09 CHF 2.44

-24.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.32 CHF 1.04

44.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.90 CHF 1.50

15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.87 CHF 1.47

-45.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.73 CHF 0.57

6.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$10.97 CHF 8.65

-69.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$11.83 CHF 9.33

100.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$2.17 CHF 1.71

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.30 CHF 1.82

24.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$2.83 CHF 2.23

-90.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$101 CHF 79.2

-92.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$6.63 CHF 5.23

-93.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$4.11 CHF 3.24

-89.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$79.3 CHF 62.5

-92.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$2.11 CHF 1.66

-62.56%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$34.7K CHF 27.3K

-24.56%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$41.4K CHF 32.7K

-22.46%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$335 CHF 264

-76.14%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$24.38 CHF 19.22

-83.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$47.39 CHF 37.36

-50.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$74.7 CHF 58.9

32.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$30.89 CHF 24.35

-78.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$20.64 CHF 16.27

-79.89%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$1,494 CHF 1,178

-79.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$19.4K CHF 15.3K

-65.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$114 CHF 89.7

-51.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$58.0 CHF 45.69

-33.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$122 CHF 96.0

-27.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$122 CHF 95.9

-36.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$1,032 CHF 813

-2.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$1,029 CHF 811

-34.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$2,418 CHF 1,906

42.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$2,275 CHF 1,794

-10.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$8,538 CHF 6,731

-66.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$6,439 CHF 5,076

-64.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$7,138 CHF 5,628

-97.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

2.17

511.98%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Locarno: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,032 in Locarno. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4220% higher in Locarno, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $145 in Locarno. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $459 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Locarno: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Locarno is pricier by about 98%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $4,208 in Locarno. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 1152% less in Ubud, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,494 in Locarno. 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 Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,419, than in Locarno at $2,806. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Locarno it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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 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 Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Locarno makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.