Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Nelson BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Nelson BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,402 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,212 in Nelson BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,128 in Nelson BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,340 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,044 in Nelson BC.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 37% less than in Nelson BC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 4% above, Nelson BC 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.6K

$14.37 CA$20.32

-76.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.78 Rp 640.9K

$59.1 CA$83.5

-39.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 Rp 98.0K

$9.16 CA$12.94

-40.28%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.9K

$3.83 CA$5.42

-30.29%

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

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.96 CA$2.77

-7.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.67 CA$2.36

-52.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 Rp 51.8K

$4.66 CA$6.60

-37.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$5.60 CA$7.92

-23.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

$1.99 CA$2.81

-23.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$2.80 CA$3.96

-18.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$3.62 CA$5.12

-67.96%

Eggs

$2.08 Rp 37.2K

$3.29 CA$4.66

-36.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.53 Rp 314.0K

$9.26 CA$13.10

89.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 Rp 70.8K

$13.31 CA$18.82

-70.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.22 Rp 218.8K

$21.57 CA$30.49

-43.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 Rp 63.6K

$3.53 CA$5.00

0.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$0.61 CA$0.86

154.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.59 CA$2.25

46.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.6K

$4.60 CA$6.51

-58.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

$3.18 CA$4.50

-42.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

$3.07 CA$4.33

-22.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

$2.53 CA$3.58

-59.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Rp 9,460

$1.93 CA$2.73

-72.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 Rp 39.4K

$14.24 CA$20.14

-84.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.44 Rp 402.0K

$13.36 CA$18.89

67.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 Rp 42.2K

$2.53 CA$3.57

-7.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.8K

$3.18 CA$4.50

-5.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,866

$1.54 CA$2.18

-82.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.04 Rp 161.9K

$37.23 CA$52.6

-75.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,506

$2.89 CA$4.09

-83.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,328

$1.81 CA$2.56

-74.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.71 Rp 102.3K

$33.82 CA$47.82

-83.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.20 CA$1.69

-33.33%

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

$24.0K Rp 429.6M

$28.7K CA$40.6K

-16.52%

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

$30.9K Rp 554.2M

$17.7K CA$25.1K

74.42%

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

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

$130 CA$184

-36.28%

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

$6.48 Rp 116.1K

$44.28 CA$62.6

-85.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.96 Rp 339.6K

$57.0 CA$80.6

-66.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 Rp 989.7K

$58.1 CA$82.2

-4.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.30 Rp 327.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 Rp 80.5K

$12.20 CA$17.26

-63.20%

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

$492 Rp 8.8M

$1,042 CA$1,473

-52.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,798 Rp 103.9M

$16.6K CA$23.5K

-65.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.22 Rp 827.9K

$48.27 CA$68.2

-4.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.68 Rp 639.1K

$41.77 CA$59.1

-14.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 Rp 1.4M

$86.5 CA$122

-8.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

$99.3 CA$140

-19.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 Rp 20.0M

$1,339 CA$1,893

-16.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 Rp 12.3M

$1,162 CA$1,643

-41.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,605 Rp 64.6M

$2,118 CA$2,994

70.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,711 Rp 30.6M

$1,491 CA$2,108

14.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,734 Rp 49.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,300 Rp 41.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 Rp 3.1M

$3,197 CA$4,521

-94.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.62

198.27%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 22, 2026

Last update for Nelson BC: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,119 in Ubud, Bali and $1,339 in Nelson BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nelson BC pays 1772% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $59.0 in Nelson BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $380 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 Nelson BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Nelson BC differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($1,402 vs $2,212 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1772% lower in Nelson BC. 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: $1,119 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,339 in Nelson BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 312% less than in Nelson BC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $492 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,042 in Nelson BC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,402 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,212 in Nelson BC, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Nelson BC. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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