Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and McLeod Ganj Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and McLeod Ganj

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $390 in McLeod Ganj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $613 in McLeod Ganj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $835 in McLeod Ganj.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 269% more expensive than McLeod Ganj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, McLeod Ganj is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$2.28 ₹217

56.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$10.29 ₹977

216.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$3.52 ₹335

44.03%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$1.53 ₹145

84.97%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.41 ₹38.70

226.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.15 ₹14.03

360.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.69 ₹161

76.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$3.02 ₹287

27.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$0.71 ₹67.5

145.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.48 ₹45.67

429.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.67 ₹63.7

77.61%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$0.95 ₹90.5

155.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$4.93 ₹468

197.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$2.93 ₹278

42.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$1.98 ₹188

86.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$0.74 ₹70.0

117.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.02 ₹96.4

163.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$0.53 ₹50.6

339.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.39 ₹36.70

389.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.42 ₹40.31

421.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.45 ₹42.78

135.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.32 ₹29.96

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$4.00 ₹380

-21.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$7.17 ₹681

227.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.76 ₹167

55.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.89 ₹275

-0.35%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.53 ₹525

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.30 ₹28.50

-3.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$8.57 ₹813

-4.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.84 ₹79.3

-46.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.27 ₹25.72

55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$1.47 ₹140

319.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.16 ₹110

-27.59%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$14.1K ₹1.3M

86.52%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$21.9K ₹2.1M

48.25%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$38.53 ₹3,658

103.53%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$3.58 ₹340

10.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$7.14 ₹678

241.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$16.01 ₹1,520

503.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$7.13 ₹677

-10.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$2.96 ₹281

36.49%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$51.9 ₹4,930

482.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$1,514 ₹143.7K

330.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$23.70 ₹2,250

127.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$24.70 ₹2,345

53.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$42.20 ₹4,007

105.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$30.13 ₹2,860

161.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$122 ₹11.6K

728.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$75.7 ₹7,182

791.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$275 ₹26.1K

1133.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$184 ₹17.4K

1042.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$1,060 ₹100.6K

181.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$597 ₹56.7K

291.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

8.67

53.17%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for McLeod Ganj: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $122 in McLeod Ganj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $10.00 in McLeod Ganj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $105 per month, with McLeod Ganj 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 McLeod Ganj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and McLeod Ganj differ by about 269% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $390 including rent). McLeod Ganj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,158 in Ubud, Bali and $585 in McLeod Ganj to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $122 in McLeod Ganj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in McLeod Ganj – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $390 in McLeod Ganj – a 269% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $390 in McLeod Ganj versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in McLeod Ganj but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes McLeod Ganj the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and McLeod Ganj 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 McLeod Ganj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 269% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.