Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Mataram

For one person, living is cheaper in Mataram: $608 a month against $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,353
/mo nomad
Mataram
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$608
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,353 in Ubud, Bali versus $608 in Mataram.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,353
  • Mataram $608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Ubud, Bali versus $967 in Mataram.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,297
  • Mataram $967

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,241 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,327 in Mataram.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,241
  • Mataram $1,327

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 122% more expensive than in Mataram, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Mataram is 55% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Mataram
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.23 Rp 58.1K
$0.93 Rp 16.8K
247.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.88 Rp 627.8K
$9.22 Rp 166.0K
278.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.70 Rp 102.5K
$3.21 Rp 57.8K
77.57%
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.1K
$1.47 Rp 26.4K
78.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
$0.44 Rp 7,889
290.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$0.31 Rp 5,491
161.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
$2.71 Rp 48.8K
-2.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
$3.45 Rp 62.1K
26.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Mataram
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$1.38 Rp 24.9K
13.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 Rp 39.5K
$1.47 Rp 26.4K
48.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$0.80 Rp 14.5K
47.50%
Eggs
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
$1.49 Rp 26.9K
44.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.65 Rp 317.7K
$7.12 Rp 128.2K
147.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.78 Rp 68.0K
$3.00 Rp 54.1K
26.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.95 Rp 215.1K
$7.39 Rp 133.0K
61.71%
Apples (1kg)
$3.60 Rp 64.8K
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
57.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 Rp 28.6K
$1.25 Rp 22.4K
27.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 41.6K
$1.70 Rp 30.6K
35.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
$1.29 Rp 23.1K
48.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
$1.24 Rp 22.3K
43.55%
Onion (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.9K
$1.94 Rp 34.9K
20.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
$0.73 Rp 13.1K
36.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,509
$0.40 Rp 7,214
32.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
$2.63 Rp 47.3K
-12.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.07 Rp 397.3K
$20.99 Rp 377.9K
5.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
$1.91 Rp 34.4K
23.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 Rp 53.6K
$3.04 Rp 54.7K
-1.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Mataram
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 Rp 4,112
$0.27 Rp 4,838
-14.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.90 Rp 160.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 Rp 8,466
$0.50 Rp 8,960
-6.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,737
$0.35 Rp 6,222
22.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.47 Rp 98.4K
$2.72 Rp 48.9K
101.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
$0.62 Rp 11.2K
33.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.9K Rp 429.8M
$23.8K Rp 428.7M
0.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K Rp 590.1M
$30.6K Rp 551.3M
7.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Mataram
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
$66.0 Rp 1.2M
21.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.56 Rp 118.1K
$3.96 Rp 71.3K
65.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.60 Rp 334.8K
$19.47 Rp 350.5K
-4.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Mataram
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 Rp 974.1K
$19.35 Rp 348.4K
179.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.28 Rp 329.0K
$8.15 Rp 146.8K
124.29%
Cinema Ticket
$4.25 Rp 76.5K
$2.85 Rp 51.2K
49.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Mataram
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
$94.8 Rp 1.7M
419.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,597 Rp 100.7M
$7,572 Rp 136.3M
-26.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Mataram
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.58 Rp 820.4K
$44.19 Rp 795.3K
3.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.96 Rp 629.4K
$28.84 Rp 519.0K
21.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
$73.5 Rp 1.3M
5.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
$71.4 Rp 1.3M
10.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Mataram
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,131 Rp 20.4M
$225 Rp 4.0M
402.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.1M
$133 Rp 2.4M
405.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,613 Rp 65.0M
$530 Rp 9.5M
581.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,702 Rp 30.6M
$356 Rp 6.4M
378.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,717 Rp 48.9M
$1,184 Rp 21.3M
129.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
$796 Rp 14.3M
181.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Mataram
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
$222 Rp 4.0M
-25.11%
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 Mataram: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$673
Mataram
$133 80.2% $540
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$287
Mataram
$201 29.9% $86
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$107
Mataram
$98 8% $8.5
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
Mataram
$58 45.4% $48
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$105
Mataram
$89 15% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$63
Mataram
$25 60% $38
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
Mataram
$3.3 * 73.5% $9.1

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,131 in Ubud, Bali and $225 in Mataram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mataram pays 34% 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 Mataram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $201 per month, with Mataram cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Mataram
🕒 Local time
20:32 8:32 PM
20:32 8:32 PM
Same time as Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
402,843
💱 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 Mataram 93 km
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Mataram

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 Mataram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and in Mataram?
Ubud, Bali and Mataram differ by about 122% in total monthly costs ($1,353 vs $608 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 34% lower in Mataram. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Mataram?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,131 in Ubud, Bali versus $225 in Mataram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ubud, Bali or Mataram?
All in, you'll spend $1,353 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $608 in Mataram – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $608 in Mataram versus $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mataram but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Mataram the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Mataram?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Ubud, Bali or Mataram safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Mataram are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Ubud, Bali or Mataram?
Expats usually find Mataram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% 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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