Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Makassar

For one person, living is cheaper in Makassar: $632 a month against $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

66

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
Learn more

Ubud, Bali Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Makassar
Learn more

Makassar Living Index

Jump to prices

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,353

/mo nomad

Makassar

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$632

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Makassar

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 Makassar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,353 in Ubud, Bali versus $632 in Makassar.

Ubud, Bali $1,353
Makassar $632

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Ubud, Bali versus $977 in Makassar.

Ubud, Bali $2,297
Makassar $977

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,241 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,322 in Makassar.

Ubud, Bali $3,241
Makassar $1,322

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 114% more expensive than in Makassar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Makassar is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

$1.62 Rp 29.1K

99.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.88 Rp 627.8K

$8.67 Rp 156.1K

302.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.70 Rp 102.5K

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

76.47%

Cappuccino

$2.62 Rp 47.1K

$1.92 Rp 34.6K

36.46%

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

$1.72 Rp 31.0K

$0.47 Rp 8,457

265.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.33 Rp 6,013

145.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 Rp 47.7K

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

8.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 Rp 78.6K

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

39.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.53 Rp 27.6K

2.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 Rp 39.5K

$0.97 Rp 17.5K

125.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

$0.57 Rp 10.3K

107.02%

Eggs

$2.16 Rp 38.8K

$1.54 Rp 27.7K

40.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.65 Rp 317.7K

$6.42 Rp 115.5K

174.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 68.0K

$3.42 Rp 61.6K

10.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.95 Rp 215.1K

$5.23 Rp 94.2K

128.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 Rp 64.8K

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

46.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

$1.31 Rp 23.6K

21.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

$1.96 Rp 35.3K

17.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.26 Rp 22.6K

51.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.28 Rp 23.1K

39.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$1.48 Rp 26.6K

57.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 Rp 18.0K

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

35.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Rp 9,509

$0.39 Rp 6,988

35.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 Rp 41.1K

$2.60 Rp 46.9K

-11.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.07 Rp 397.3K

$22.14 Rp 398.6K

-0.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 Rp 42.2K

$1.82 Rp 32.7K

29.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 Rp 53.6K

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 Rp 4,112

$0.27 Rp 4,851

-14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.90 Rp 160.2K

$4.18 Rp 75.2K

112.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,466

$0.50 Rp 8,925

-6.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,737

$0.37 Rp 6,710

16.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 Rp 98.4K

$2.67 Rp 48.0K

104.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

3.75%

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

$23.9K Rp 429.8M

$23.8K Rp 428.5M

0.29%

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

$32.8K Rp 590.1M

$31.9K Rp 574.3M

2.76%

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

$80.0 Rp 1.4M

$90.3 Rp 1.6M

-11.37%

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

$6.56 Rp 118.1K

$2.61 Rp 46.9K

151.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.60 Rp 334.8K

$25.29 Rp 455.3K

-26.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 Rp 974.1K

$21.58 Rp 388.5K

150.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.28 Rp 329.0K

$8.40 Rp 151.1K

117.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 Rp 76.5K

$3.36 Rp 60.5K

26.49%

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

$493 Rp 8.9M

$94.2 Rp 1.7M

422.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,597 Rp 100.7M

$3,803 Rp 68.5M

47.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.58 Rp 820.4K

$26.97 Rp 485.5K

69.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 Rp 629.4K

$23.43 Rp 421.7K

49.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 Rp 1.4M

$75.0 Rp 1.3M

3.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 Rp 1.4M

$39.92 Rp 718.5K

96.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 Rp 20.4M

$224 Rp 4.0M

404.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$143 Rp 2.6M

371.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,613 Rp 65.0M

$528 Rp 9.5M

584.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 Rp 30.6M

$364 Rp 6.6M

367.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,717 Rp 48.9M

$1,151 Rp 20.7M

136.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,241 Rp 40.3M

$794 Rp 14.3M

182.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 Rp 3.0M

$214 Rp 3.8M

-22.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.46

45.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Last update for Makassar: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ubud, Bali

$673 49.7%

Makassar

$143 22.6% 78.8% $530

Groceries & Markets

Ubud, Bali

$287 21.2%

Makassar

$193 30.6% 32.7% $94

Clothing & Footwear

Ubud, Bali

$107 7.9%

Makassar

$74 11.8% 30.2% $32

Eating Out

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.9%

Makassar

$67 10.7% 36.7% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ubud, Bali

$105 7.8%

Makassar

$118 18.7% 12.4% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Ubud, Bali

$63 4.6%

Makassar

$28 4.5% 54.8% $34

Getting Around

Ubud, Bali

$12 0.9%

Makassar

$7.6 1.2% 38.8% $4.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,131 in Ubud, Bali and $224 in Makassar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makassar pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $9.00 in Makassar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $193 per month, with Makassar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Makassar

🕒 Local time

22:24 10:24 PM

Same time as Ubud, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,800

1,427,619

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ubud, Bali Makassar 590 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Ubud, Bali
Makassar

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 Makassar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makassar wins on cost – living expenses run 114% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makassar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Makassar. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,131 in Ubud, Bali versus $224 in Makassar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Makassar runs roughly 113% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $493 in Ubud, Bali versus $94.2 in Makassar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $632 in Makassar versus $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Makassar but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Makassar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Makassar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $632 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makassar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Makassar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Makassar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.