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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $874 in Montanita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,345 in Montanita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,816 in Montanita.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 58% more expensive than in Montanita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Montanita is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.53 $3.53

-5.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$27.69 $27.69

29.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$7.53 $7.53

-25.23%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.47 $2.47

14.17%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.84 $0.84

108.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.63 $0.63

26.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.96 $1.96

55.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$3.56 $3.56

20.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.13 $1.13

42.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.62 $1.62

40.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.57 $1.57

-25.48%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.12 $2.12

2.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$5.40 $5.40

226.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$5.53 $5.53

-26.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$6.38 $6.38

90.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.01 $2.01

80.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.22 $1.22

34.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.09 $1.09

111.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.03 $1.03

90.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.43 $1.43

28.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.08 $1.08

119.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.52 $0.52

101.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$1.01 $1.01

-46.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$6.13 $6.13

-62.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$9.90 $9.90

133.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.48 $1.48

58.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.55 $2.55

20.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.36 $0.36

-30.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$24.16 $24.16

-61.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.47 $1.47

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.99 $0.99

-52.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$9.94 $9.94

-43.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.62 $0.62

30.65%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$25.3K $25.3K

-1.32%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$28.6K $28.6K

8.47%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$40.45 $40.45

104.50%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$13.87 $13.87

-53.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$31.29 $31.29

-39.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$29.66 $29.66

86.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$14.36 $14.36

26.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$7.49 $7.49

-42.59%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$253 $253

95.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$5,615 $5,615

5.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$55.7 $55.7

-16.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$43.80 $43.80

-16.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$100 $100

-19.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$76.3 $76.3

3.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$345 $345

222.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$313 $313

121.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$621 $621

485.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$502 $502

241.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$1,249 $1,249

121.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$991 $991

131.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

37.80%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Montanita: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $345 in Montanita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $28.00 in Montanita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $185 per month, with Montanita 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 Montanita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montanita is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,067 in Ubud, Bali and $1,312 in Montanita 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $345 in Montanita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $253 in Montanita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 59% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $874 in Montanita versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Montanita but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Montanita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Montanita is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Montanita 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 Montanita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.