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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $383 in McLeod Ganj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $605 in McLeod Ganj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $826 in McLeod Ganj.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 267% more expensive than McLeod Ganj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, McLeod Ganj is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$2.35 ₹223

51.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$10.59 ₹1,007

206.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$3.44 ₹327

41.28%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$1.51 ₹144

82.12%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.40 ₹38.15

230.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.17 ₹16.47

311.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$1.78 ₹169

63.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.10 ₹294

22.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$0.65 ₹62.2

163.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.49 ₹46.14

404.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$0.72 ₹68.4

66.67%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$0.95 ₹90.1

156.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$5.12 ₹487

180.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$2.89 ₹275

49.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.01 ₹191

83.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$0.73 ₹69.8

112.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$0.95 ₹90.8

193.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$0.54 ₹51.1

331.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$0.35 ₹33.55

462.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$0.46 ₹43.65

402.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.46 ₹43.37

130.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.35 ₹32.83

108.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$3.97 ₹378

-17.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$7.43 ₹707

206.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.71 ₹163

64.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.82 ₹268

-1.42%

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

$5.52 ₹525

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.30 ₹28.95

-3.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$8.70 ₹827

-7.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.82 ₹78.3

-45.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.25 ₹23.53

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$1.46 ₹139

327.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.16 ₹111

-26.72%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

87.52%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$22.1K ₹2.1M

43.23%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$38.45 ₹3,657

110.01%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$3.49 ₹332

16.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$7.14 ₹679

242.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$16.22 ₹1,542

502.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$6.93 ₹659

-6.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$2.84 ₹270

42.25%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$51.9 ₹4,938

485.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$1,555 ₹147.9K

325.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$23.90 ₹2,273

126.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$25.05 ₹2,382

54.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$42.99 ₹4,088

100.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$30.13 ₹2,865

154.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$122 ₹11.6K

709.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$75.0 ₹7,131

777.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$275 ₹26.2K

1125.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$181 ₹17.2K

1039.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$1,052 ₹100.1K

160.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$611 ₹58.1K

264.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for McLeod Ganj: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 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 $11.00 in McLeod Ganj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $106 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 267% in total monthly costs ($1,404 vs $383 including rent). McLeod Ganj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,106 in Ubud, Bali and $574 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: $986 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 $11.00 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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $383 in McLeod Ganj – a 267% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $383 in McLeod Ganj versus $1,404 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 267% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.