Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Manado

For one person, living is cheaper in Manado: $557 a month against $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,353
/mo nomad
Manado
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$557
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,353 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $557 in Manado, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,353
  • Manado $557

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $881 in Manado, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,297
  • Manado $881

A family of three spends $3,241 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,206 in Manado, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,241
  • Manado $1,206

Ubud, Bali costs about 143% more than Manado, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Manado is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Manado
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.23 Rp 58.1K
$1.44 Rp 25.9K
124.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.88 Rp 627.8K
$16.91 Rp 304.4K
106.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.70 Rp 102.5K
$2.78 Rp 50.0K
105.04%
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.1K
$1.75 Rp 31.6K
49.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
$0.61 Rp 11.0K
181.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$0.25 Rp 4,526
224.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
$3.42 Rp 61.6K
-22.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
$2.75 Rp 49.6K
58.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Manado
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$1.38 Rp 24.8K
13.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 Rp 39.5K
$1.10 Rp 19.8K
99.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$0.77 Rp 13.9K
53.25%
Eggs
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
$1.85 Rp 33.2K
16.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.65 Rp 317.7K
$16.47 Rp 296.4K
7.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.78 Rp 68.0K
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
38.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.95 Rp 215.1K
$6.25 Rp 112.5K
91.20%
Apples (1kg)
$3.60 Rp 64.8K
$2.29 Rp 41.2K
57.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 Rp 28.6K
$1.51 Rp 27.1K
5.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 41.6K
$1.30 Rp 23.4K
77.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
$1.02 Rp 18.3K
87.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
114.46%
Onion (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.9K
$2.78 Rp 50.1K
-16.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
$0.80 Rp 14.3K
25.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,509
$0.45 Rp 8,183
17.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
$2.38 Rp 42.8K
-3.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.07 Rp 397.3K
$20.83 Rp 374.9K
5.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
$1.83 Rp 33.0K
28.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 Rp 53.6K
$3.02 Rp 54.4K
-1.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Manado
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 Rp 4,112
$0.30 Rp 5,363
-23.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.90 Rp 160.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 Rp 8,466
$0.52 Rp 9,385
-9.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,737
$0.34 Rp 6,183
26.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.47 Rp 98.4K
$2.68 Rp 48.2K
104.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
$0.65 Rp 11.7K
27.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.9K Rp 429.8M
$23.5K Rp 422.4M
1.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K Rp 590.1M
$31.5K Rp 566.9M
4.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Manado
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
$52.9 Rp 951.8K
51.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.56 Rp 118.1K
$4.26 Rp 76.6K
53.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.60 Rp 334.8K
$14.10 Rp 253.8K
31.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Manado
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 Rp 974.1K
$13.16 Rp 236.9K
311.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.28 Rp 329.0K
$8.53 Rp 153.5K
114.30%
Cinema Ticket
$4.25 Rp 76.5K
$2.56 Rp 46.1K
66.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Manado
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
$126 Rp 2.3M
292.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,597 Rp 100.7M
$4,771 Rp 85.9M
17.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Manado
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.58 Rp 820.4K
$55.1 Rp 991.0K
-17.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.96 Rp 629.4K
$20.35 Rp 366.3K
71.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
$69.5 Rp 1.3M
11.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
$64.5 Rp 1.2M
21.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Manado
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,131 Rp 20.4M
$253 Rp 4.5M
347.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.1M
$81.6 Rp 1.5M
724.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,613 Rp 65.0M
$302 Rp 5.4M
1096.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,702 Rp 30.6M
$169 Rp 3.0M
909.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,717 Rp 48.9M
$1,185 Rp 21.3M
129.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
$790 Rp 14.2M
183.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Manado
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
$215 Rp 3.9M
-22.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
10
37.80%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Last update for Manado: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$673
Manado
$82 87.9% $591
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$287
Manado
$221 22.9% $66
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$107
Manado
$94 11.6% $12
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
Manado
$67 37.1% $39
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$105
Manado
$71 32.3% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$63
Manado
$18 70.8% $44
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
Manado
$3.4 * 72.4% $9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,131 in Ubud, Bali versus $253 in Manado. 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 29% higher in Manado, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $17.00 in Manado. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $221 – making Manado the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Manado
🕒 Local time
04:30 4:30 AM
04:30 4:30 AM
Same time as Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
423,257
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Manado 1,540 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Manado

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 Manado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Manado cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 143%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,030 per month in Ubud, Bali and $836 in Manado. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Manado, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Ubud, Bali or in Manado?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali and $17.00 in Manado. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Manado?
Groceries cost about 30% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ubud, Bali or in Manado?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Manado, where all-in costs run around $557, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,353. In Manado it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ubud, Bali or Manado more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Manado – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or Manado?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Manado. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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