Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Melbourne Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Melbourne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,910 in Melbourne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,408 in Melbourne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $5,905 in Melbourne.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 53% less than in Melbourne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, Melbourne 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$18.41 A$25.66

-81.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$86.5 A$121

-58.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$12.46 A$17.38

-54.82%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$4.17 A$5.81

-32.37%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$3.15 A$4.40

-44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$2.65 A$3.70

-69.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$10.05 A$14.01

-69.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$8.51 A$11.86

-49.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.61 A$2.25

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$3.29 A$4.58

-31.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$3.02 A$4.21

-61.26%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$6.00 A$8.36

-63.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$11.06 A$15.42

59.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$9.92 A$13.83

-59.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$15.87 A$22.12

-23.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$4.41 A$6.15

-17.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$3.22 A$4.49

-49.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$3.45 A$4.80

-33.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$4.91 A$6.85

-60.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$3.14 A$4.37

-41.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$2.66 A$3.71

-10.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$2.52 A$3.51

-58.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$1.69 A$2.36

-68.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$46.21 A$64.4

-95.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$12.58 A$17.54

83.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$5.41 A$7.54

-56.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$5.33 A$7.43

-42.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$4.03 A$5.62

-93.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$142 A$198

-93.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$4.71 A$6.56

-89.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$1.41 A$1.97

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$31.32 A$43.67

-82.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.43 A$1.99

-43.36%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$29.5K A$41.1K

-15.10%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$27.0K A$37.6K

15.24%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$239 A$334

-65.42%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$28.19 A$39.30

-76.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$57.3 A$79.9

-67.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$55.9 A$77.9

-1.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$22.72 A$31.68

-19.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$17.89 A$24.94

-75.96%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$2,456 A$3,424

-79.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$31.5K A$44.0K

-81.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$82.4 A$115

-43.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$52.1 A$72.6

-30.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$120 A$168

-32.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$137 A$191

-42.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$1,777 A$2,477

-37.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$1,457 A$2,032

-52.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$3,561 A$4,965

2.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$2,568 A$3,581

-33.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$7,269 A$10.1K

-62.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$6,897 A$9,616

-66.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$4,459 A$6,217

-96.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.84

135.96%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $1,777 in Melbourne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Melbourne pays 2569% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $86.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $403 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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 Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Melbourne differ by about 111% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $2,910 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2569% lower in Melbourne. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,777 in Melbourne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,456 in Melbourne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,910 in Melbourne, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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 Melbourne 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 111% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.