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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $833 in Nanjing.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,329 in Nanjing.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,826 in Nanjing.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 65% more expensive than in Nanjing, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Nanjing is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.82 ¥25.55

-12.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$22.06 ¥148

62.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$4.92 ¥32.93

14.43%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$3.10 ¥20.76

-9.03%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.53 ¥3.52

230.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.27 ¥1.82

196.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.50 ¥10.06

102.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.18 ¥14.62

97.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$2.16 ¥14.45

-25.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$2.06 ¥13.78

10.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$0.85 ¥5.71

37.65%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.36 ¥9.13

59.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$10.63 ¥71.2

65.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$2.97 ¥19.86

36.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$8.66 ¥58.0

40.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.16 ¥14.48

67.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.28 ¥8.58

28.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.72 ¥11.53

34.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.11 ¥7.42

76.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.89 ¥5.97

106.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.96 ¥6.42

146.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.88 ¥5.88

19.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.56 ¥3.72

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$3.77 ¥25.24

-38.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$13.47 ¥90.2

71.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.97 ¥6.50

141.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.49 ¥9.96

106.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.31 ¥2.11

-19.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$30.05 ¥201

-68.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.66 ¥11.15

-70.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.41 ¥2.77

14.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$8.70 ¥58.3

-35.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.32 ¥8.83

-38.64%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$19.6K ¥131.4K

27.46%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$16.4K ¥109.6K

89.88%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$54.0 ¥362

53.21%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$7.86 ¥52.6

-17.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$7.06 ¥47.26

166.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$28.73 ¥192

92.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$33.67 ¥226

-45.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$5.79 ¥38.77

-25.73%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$1,486 ¥9,953

-66.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$22.3K ¥149.5K

-73.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$42.04 ¥282

10.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$34.04 ¥228

7.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$64.6 ¥432

25.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$88.5 ¥593

-10.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$541 ¥3,622

105.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$296 ¥1,982

134.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$1,132 ¥7,578

221.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$561 ¥3,756

205.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$5,069 ¥33.9K

-45.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$3,094 ¥20.7K

-25.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$1,424 ¥9,537

-88.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

3.42

302.92%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Nanjing: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $541 in Nanjing. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanjing pays 752% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $22.00 in Nanjing for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $204 per month, with Nanjing 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 Nanjing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nanjing is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 752% lower in Nanjing. 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 $541 in Nanjing. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nanjing – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $833 in Nanjing – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $833 in Nanjing versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nanjing but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Nanjing the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nanjing 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 Nanjing 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 Nanjing gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.