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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $413 in Negombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $687 in Negombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $962 in Negombo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 244% more expensive than Negombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Negombo is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$3.96 LKR 1,312

-10.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$18.05 LKR 5,986

81.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$8.33 LKR 2,762

-40.58%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.39 LKR 461

94.96%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.73 LKR 243

83.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.38 LKR 125

84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$1.98 LKR 657

47.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$3.37 LKR 1,118

17.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.54 LKR 509

17.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.49 LKR 161

414.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.81 LKR 267

43.21%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.19 LKR 726

12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$14.35 LKR 4,757

2.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$4.60 LKR 1,525

-6.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$5.64 LKR 1,871

115.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$1.97 LKR 653

94.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$0.77 LKR 254

102.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$2.49 LKR 826

13.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.20 LKR 397

94.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.85 LKR 283

124.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.97 LKR 321

126.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.97 LKR 323

4.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.57 LKR 188

36.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$8.90 LKR 2,952

-62.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$12.93 LKR 4,286

83.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$2.07 LKR 687

34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.97 LKR 986

-3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.32 LKR 105

-15.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$0.39 LKR 129

17.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.33 LKR 109

36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$0.57 LKR 189

970.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.26 LKR 418

-37.30%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$26.6K LKR 8.8M

-1.56%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$35.4K LKR 11.7M

-9.34%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$30.48 LKR 10.1K

162.27%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$4.43 LKR 1,469

-8.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$14.87 LKR 4,932

58.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$13.58 LKR 4,501

626.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$10.12 LKR 3,354

-34.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$2.48 LKR 823

67.34%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$36.75 LKR 12.2K

727.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$441 LKR 146.4K

1398.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$19.50 LKR 6,466

184.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$19.18 LKR 6,360

99.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$48.26 LKR 16.0K

83.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$26.40 LKR 8,752

194.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$178 LKR 59.0K

-7.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

16.45

-19.27%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Negombo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Negombo pays 8% 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 $18.00 in Negombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $203 per month, with Negombo 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 Negombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Negombo wins on cost – living expenses run 244% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Negombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Negombo earns 8% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $36.75 in Negombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Negombo – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $413 in Negombo versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Negombo but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Negombo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Negombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $413 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Negombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Negombo 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 Negombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 244% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.