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: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $379 in McLeod Ganj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $605 in McLeod Ganj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $831 in McLeod Ganj.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 264% more expensive than in McLeod Ganj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, McLeod Ganj is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$2.36 ₹226

40.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$10.41 ₹997

275.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$3.58 ₹343

56.98%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$1.56 ₹149

69.23%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$0.38 ₹36.25

315.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.18 ₹17.31

294.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$1.71 ₹164

59.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$3.12 ₹299

38.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$0.65 ₹62.6

136.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$0.45 ₹42.78

411.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$0.67 ₹64.2

53.73%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$0.90 ₹85.8

135.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$5.13 ₹490

237.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$2.98 ₹285

35.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$2.08 ₹199

77.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.69 ₹65.9

134.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$0.99 ₹95.1

129.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$0.51 ₹48.47

290.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$0.38 ₹36.49

381.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$0.42 ₹40.11

435.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$0.45 ₹43.25

131.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$0.32 ₹30.18

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$4.01 ₹384

-44.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$7.19 ₹688

222.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$1.70 ₹162

40.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$2.79 ₹267

2.87%

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

$5.49 ₹525

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$0.28 ₹26.40

-10.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

$8.46 ₹810

-15.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$0.80 ₹76.3

-42.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$0.25 ₹23.75

84.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$1.42 ₹136

301.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.22 ₹117

-37.70%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

76.86%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$22.0K ₹2.1M

40.76%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$38.69 ₹3,703

112.38%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$3.53 ₹338

79.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$7.05 ₹675

162.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$16.07 ₹1,538

248.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

$7.05 ₹674

161.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$2.99 ₹286

42.47%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$50.6 ₹4,844

866.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$1,562 ₹149.5K

270.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$23.78 ₹2,275

93.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$25.68 ₹2,458

39.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$41.93 ₹4,012

89.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$30.77 ₹2,945

163.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$122 ₹11.7K

835.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$75.4 ₹7,217

817.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$271 ₹25.9K

1203.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$183 ₹17.5K

832.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$1,049 ₹100.4K

165.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$607 ₹58.1K

272.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.67

58.94%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for McLeod Ganj: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali and $122 in McLeod Ganj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $10.00 in McLeod Ganj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 264% in total monthly costs ($1,379 vs $379 including rent). McLeod Ganj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,069 in Ubud, Bali and $568 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: $1,144 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $379 in McLeod Ganj – a 264% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $379 in McLeod Ganj versus $1,379 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 264% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.