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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,282 in Nelson BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,092 in Nelson BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,330 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,902 in Nelson BC.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 39% less than in Nelson BC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 3% above, Nelson BC 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.30 Rp 59.0K

$14.37 CA$20.05

-77.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 691.1K

$59.1 CA$82.4

-34.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 Rp 99.0K

$9.01 CA$12.57

-38.62%

Cappuccino

$2.62 Rp 47.0K

$3.87 CA$5.39

-32.30%

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

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

$2.05 CA$2.87

-22.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.64 CA$2.29

-53.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 Rp 46.9K

$4.73 CA$6.60

-44.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 Rp 76.2K

$5.83 CA$8.14

-27.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$1.98 CA$2.76

-20.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.2K

$2.85 CA$3.97

-19.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$3.61 CA$5.04

-71.19%

Eggs

$2.07 Rp 37.0K

$3.48 CA$4.86

-40.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.61 Rp 315.4K

$9.64 CA$13.44

82.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 Rp 71.1K

$13.54 CA$18.89

-70.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.99 Rp 214.7K

$20.82 CA$29.04

-42.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 Rp 63.2K

$3.45 CA$4.82

2.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 28.6K

$0.60 CA$0.84

166.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.55 CA$2.16

50.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.8K

$4.84 CA$6.75

-59.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

$3.26 CA$4.55

-45.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.4K

$3.04 CA$4.24

-25.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 Rp 17.6K

$2.48 CA$3.46

-60.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,291

$1.99 CA$2.78

-73.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$14.31 CA$19.97

-83.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.35 Rp 418.1K

$13.28 CA$18.53

75.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

$2.61 CA$3.65

-13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$3.02 CA$4.21

-6.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,857

$1.49 CA$2.07

-81.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.16 Rp 164.0K

$37.20 CA$51.9

-75.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,956

$2.90 CA$4.04

-84.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,787

$1.80 CA$2.51

-76.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 Rp 98.7K

$34.12 CA$47.60

-83.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.16 CA$1.61

-31.90%

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

$23.9K Rp 427.2M

$27.7K CA$38.7K

-13.93%

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

$30.6K Rp 548.8M

$18.3K CA$25.5K

67.84%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.5M

$128 CA$178

-36.20%

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

$6.31 Rp 113.0K

$48.36 CA$67.5

-86.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.30 Rp 327.7K

$55.9 CA$78.0

-67.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 Rp 966.6K

$58.6 CA$81.8

-7.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.89 Rp 320.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 75.9K

$12.28 CA$17.13

-65.47%

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

$482 Rp 8.6M

$1,044 CA$1,457

-53.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,756 Rp 103.1M

$16.1K CA$22.4K

-64.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.99 Rp 805.7K

$49.42 CA$69.0

-8.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.88 Rp 624.5K

$41.52 CA$57.9

-15.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 Rp 1.4M

$84.6 CA$118

-7.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$101 CA$141

-21.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 Rp 20.6M

$1,327 CA$1,852

-13.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 Rp 12.3M

$1,136 CA$1,584

-39.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,619 Rp 64.8M

$2,111 CA$2,945

71.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 Rp 30.8M

$1,470 CA$2,052

17.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,783 Rp 49.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,238 Rp 40.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$3,174 CA$4,428

-94.68%

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: August 2, 2026

Last update for Nelson BC: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Ubud, Bali and $1,327 in Nelson BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nelson BC pays 1778% 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: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $59.0 in Nelson BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $382 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 64% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $2,282 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1778% 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: $1,148 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,327 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 306% less than in Nelson BC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $482 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,044 in Nelson BC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,282 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 64% less than in Nelson BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.