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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $616 in Luoyang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,003 in Luoyang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,390 in Luoyang.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 131% more expensive than Luoyang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Luoyang is 54% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Luoyang
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.56 Rp 64.3K
$3.47 ¥23.50
2.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.73 Rp 590.3K
$28.21 ¥191
16.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.95 Rp 89.2K
$5.31 ¥35.94
-6.78%
Cappuccino
$2.71 Rp 48.9K
$3.47 ¥23.51
-21.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 Rp 24.2K
$0.44 ¥2.96
204.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 Rp 12.6K
$0.23 ¥1.56
204.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 Rp 52.7K
$1.16 ¥7.88
151.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 Rp 71.4K
$2.83 ¥19.14
39.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Luoyang
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 Rp 32.6K
$1.79 ¥12.12
1.12%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 Rp 45.4K
$2.13 ¥14.46
18.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 Rp 20.9K
$1.01 ¥6.85
14.85%
Eggs
$2.46 Rp 44.4K
$1.39 ¥9.40
76.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.71 Rp 265.3K
$12.75 ¥86.4
15.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.32 Rp 77.9K
$3.23 ¥21.86
33.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.14 Rp 218.9K
$8.51 ¥57.6
42.66%
Apples (1kg)
$3.84 Rp 69.3K
$0.95 ¥6.45
304.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 Rp 28.1K
$1.25 ¥8.44
24.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.83 Rp 51.1K
$1.36 ¥9.24
108.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.9K
$1.13 ¥7.67
106.19%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.5K
$0.71 ¥4.81
169.01%
Onion (1kg)
$2.20 Rp 39.7K
$0.90 ¥6.12
144.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 Rp 18.3K
$0.40 ¥2.73
152.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 Rp 14.0K
$0.74 ¥5.03
5.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.32 Rp 59.8K
$1.57 ¥10.62
111.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.74 Rp 428.0K
$13.26 ¥89.8
79.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 Rp 50.3K
$0.41 ¥2.76
580.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 Rp 51.6K
$2.09 ¥14.15
36.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Luoyang
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,848
$0.27 ¥1.83
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.03 Rp 144.8K
$16.54 ¥112
-51.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.46 Rp 8,230
$1.08 ¥7.34
-57.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 8,116
$0.35 ¥2.40
28.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.10 Rp 109.9K
$6.53 ¥44.23
-6.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.79 Rp 14.3K
$1.19 ¥8.06
-33.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K Rp 471.6M
$19.6K ¥132.8K
33.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K Rp 579.2M
$16.6K ¥112.3K
93.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Luoyang
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
$39.94 ¥271
100.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.06 Rp 73.3K
$5.65 ¥38.24
-28.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52 Rp 424.1K
$9.65 ¥65.3
143.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Luoyang
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.7 Rp 1.8M
$21.28 ¥144
363.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.63 Rp 119.6K
$11.26 ¥76.3
-41.12%
Cinema Ticket
$4.15 Rp 74.8K
$5.27 ¥35.69
-21.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Luoyang
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$304 Rp 5.5M
$184 ¥1,250
64.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,613 Rp 119.3M
$17.1K ¥115.7K
-61.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Luoyang
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.5 Rp 1.0M
$46.56 ¥315
19.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.31 Rp 690.9K
$27.86 ¥189
37.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.6 Rp 1.6M
$60.4 ¥409
46.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
$74.5 ¥505
4.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Luoyang
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 Rp 18.1M
$176 ¥1,191
472.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$675 Rp 12.2M
$118 ¥802
470.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,442 Rp 62.1M
$410 ¥2,779
738.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,039 Rp 36.8M
$212 ¥1,437
860.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,841 Rp 51.2M
$2,081 ¥14.1K
36.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,264 Rp 40.8M
$1,414 ¥9,575
60.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Luoyang
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
$619 ¥4,194
-73.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
4.45
198.43%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Luoyang: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $176 in Luoyang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luoyang pays 275% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $28.00 in Luoyang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $199 per month, with Luoyang 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 Luoyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Luoyang?
Luoyang wins on cost – living expenses run 131% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Luoyang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or Luoyang?
On paper, Luoyang earns 275% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali vs Luoyang?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $176 in Luoyang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and Luoyang?
Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $184 in Luoyang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or Luoyang?
Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or Luoyang?
At $616 in Luoyang versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Luoyang but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Luoyang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Luoyang?
Both work as nomad bases, but Luoyang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $616 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Luoyang hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Luoyang?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Luoyang 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Luoyang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 131% 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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