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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,284 in Nara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,928 in Nara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,572 in Nara.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Nara is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$6.77 ¥1,082

-47.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$34.37 ¥5,498

-4.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$5.66 ¥905

-12.54%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$3.03 ¥484

-10.56%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$1.09 ¥174

22.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.72 ¥115

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$3.40 ¥544

-14.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$3.21 ¥514

23.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.53 ¥244

18.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$1.50 ¥240

68.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$4.63 ¥740

-74.95%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.46 ¥393

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$10.63 ¥1,700

38.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$6.34 ¥1,014

-31.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$20.80 ¥3,326

-41.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$3.66 ¥586

4.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$2.18 ¥349

-28.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$2.52 ¥404

12.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$4.32 ¥691

-46.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.73 ¥276

10.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.29 ¥206

70.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.37 ¥219

-26.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.90 ¥144

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$3.38 ¥541

-1.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$9.36 ¥1,496

153.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$2.06 ¥330

35.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.36 ¥378

21.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$2.24 ¥358

-87.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$56.2 ¥8,987

-85.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$3.41 ¥546

-86.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$2.95 ¥472

-84.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$17.42 ¥2,786

-64.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.19 ¥190

-33.61%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

12.98%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$17.1K ¥2.7M

88.37%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$135 ¥21.6K

-40.68%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$27.21 ¥4,352

-85.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$30.70 ¥4,910

-23.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$81.2 ¥13.0K

21.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$8.21 ¥1,313

-19.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$12.41 ¥1,985

-66.56%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$69.9 ¥11.2K

334.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$10.3K ¥1.6M

-35.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$44.02 ¥7,040

26.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$29.28 ¥4,683

30.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$55.6 ¥8,900

59.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$90.8 ¥14.5K

-14.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$435 ¥69.5K

131.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$370 ¥59.1K

82.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$624 ¥99.9K

451.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$554 ¥88.6K

268.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$2,724 ¥435.7K

4.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$1,984 ¥317.3K

14.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,131 ¥180.9K

-85.39%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nara: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $435 in Nara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nara pays 585% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $34.00 in Nara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $305 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, Nara earns 585% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $435 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 $34.00 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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,284 in Nara – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,284 in Nara versus $1,419 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.