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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,269 in Nara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,902 in Nara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,536 in Nara.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 11% more expensive than in Nara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Nara is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$6.92 ¥1,124

-50.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$34.80 ¥5,654

-7.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$5.65 ¥917

-14.34%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$3.12 ¥507

-11.86%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.13 ¥184

22.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.73 ¥118

2.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$3.37 ¥548

-11.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$3.04 ¥493

26.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.60 ¥260

8.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.42 ¥231

73.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$4.81 ¥782

-75.68%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.43 ¥395

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$10.37 ¥1,686

39.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$6.47 ¥1,051

-32.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$20.42 ¥3,318

-41.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$3.50 ¥568

6.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$2.19 ¥355

-25.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$2.61 ¥424

4.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$4.40 ¥716

-49.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.64 ¥266

17.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.24 ¥202

83.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.38 ¥224

-23.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.84 ¥136

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$3.53 ¥573

-6.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$9.04 ¥1,469

156.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.15 ¥349

29.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.38 ¥386

14.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$2.19 ¥355

-87.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$55.7 ¥9,049

-85.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$3.38 ¥549

-85.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$2.90 ¥470

-85.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$17.13 ¥2,782

-63.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.23 ¥199

-34.15%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$22.7K ¥3.7M

17.15%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$16.8K ¥2.7M

92.06%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$131 ¥21.2K

-40.09%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$27.56 ¥4,478

-85.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$29.79 ¥4,840

-18.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$80.9 ¥13.1K

21.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$8.17 ¥1,327

-22.40%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$12.27 ¥1,993

-67.48%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$68.5 ¥11.1K

345.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$10.5K ¥1.7M

-36.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$44.58 ¥7,243

21.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$29.03 ¥4,717

30.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$56.8 ¥9,226

52.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$90.3 ¥14.7K

-15.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$434 ¥70.5K

128.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$369 ¥60.0K

82.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$623 ¥101.2K

441.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$546 ¥88.7K

275.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$2,685 ¥436.3K

4.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$1,939 ¥315.0K

14.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$1,119 ¥181.9K

-85.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

1.78

646.07%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Nara: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $434 in Nara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nara pays 570% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $35.00 in Nara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $303 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 Nara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nara is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 570% lower in Nara. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $434 in Nara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nara – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,269 in Nara – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,269 in Nara versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nara but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Nara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nara 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 Nara 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 Nara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.