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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,378 in Nelson BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,299 in Nelson BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,757 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,220 in Nelson BC.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 41% less than in Nelson BC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Nelson BC 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 Rp 58.6K

$14.77 CA$20.23

-76.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 564.9K

$67.0 CA$91.9

-50.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.1K

$8.99 CA$12.32

-43.49%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.4K

$3.99 CA$5.46

-29.32%

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$2.22 CA$3.05

-38.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.1K

$1.72 CA$2.35

-58.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 50.8K

$5.10 CA$6.98

-41.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.0K

$6.00 CA$8.21

-34.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$1.95 CA$2.67

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.1K

$3.13 CA$4.29

-19.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

$3.15 CA$4.31

-61.59%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.0K

$3.79 CA$5.19

-38.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 248.4K

$11.05 CA$15.13

31.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.7K

$14.88 CA$20.39

-70.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 206.4K

$19.89 CA$27.25

-39.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.4K

$3.81 CA$5.22

0.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.6K

$0.63 CA$0.86

155.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.3K

$1.64 CA$2.24

64.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.2K

$4.02 CA$5.51

-44.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.5K

$2.58 CA$3.53

-26.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.4K

$2.93 CA$4.01

-25.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.6K

$2.70 CA$3.69

-61.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.2K

$1.84 CA$2.52

-58.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.6K

$14.94 CA$20.46

-78.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 398.0K

$13.28 CA$18.19

74.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.8K

$2.40 CA$3.29

18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

$3.06 CA$4.19

-11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,007

$1.45 CA$1.98

-80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.4K

$61.9 CA$84.9

-86.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,320

$2.92 CA$4.00

-83.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,789

$1.72 CA$2.35

-73.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.5K

$34.94 CA$47.87

-82.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.5K

$1.26 CA$1.72

-32.54%

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

$26.1K Rp 446.5M

$25.2K CA$34.6K

3.32%

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

$31.5K Rp 540.3M

$20.0K CA$27.4K

57.46%

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$143 CA$195

-44.08%

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

$4.09 Rp 70.1K

$51.3 CA$70.3

-92.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 412.4K

$58.1 CA$79.6

-58.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.6M

$41.93 CA$57.4

129.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 111.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 70.9K

$11.71 CA$16.04

-64.73%

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

$1,078 CA$1,477

-72.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.1M

$17.0K CA$23.2K

-60.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 941.8K

$52.9 CA$72.4

3.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 664.1K

$39.71 CA$54.4

-2.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

$84.6 CA$116

5.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$129 CA$177

-39.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

$1,417 CA$1,941

-28.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

$1,161 CA$1,591

-43.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 58.9M

$2,210 CA$3,028

55.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.2M

$1,529 CA$2,095

34.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 2.9M

$3,272 CA$4,483

-94.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.53

103.37%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Last update for Nelson BC: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali and $1,417 in Nelson BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nelson BC pays 1802% 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: $33 in Ubud, Bali vs $67 in Nelson BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $386 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 69% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $2,378 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Nelson BC earns 1802% 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: $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,417 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 635% less than in Nelson BC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,078 in Nelson BC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,378 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 69% less than in Nelson BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.