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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $952 in Neum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,490 in Neum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,027 in Neum.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 48% more expensive than in Neum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Neum is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$8.60 BAM 14.71

-59.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$41.64 BAM 71.2

-22.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$7.53 BAM 12.88

-35.72%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$1.65 BAM 2.82

66.67%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$2.02 BAM 3.45

-31.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$1.15 BAM 1.96

-34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$2.08 BAM 3.55

43.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$2.78 BAM 4.76

38.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.34 BAM 2.28

29.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.28 BAM 2.19

92.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.58 BAM 2.70

-25.95%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$2.95 BAM 5.05

-17.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$9.25 BAM 15.82

56.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$8.51 BAM 14.56

-48.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$11.70 BAM 20.01

2.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$1.44 BAM 2.45

158.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.64 BAM 2.80

-0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$1.94 BAM 3.32

41.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$2.01 BAM 3.45

11.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$1.16 BAM 1.98

65.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$1.11 BAM 1.89

105.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.15 BAM 1.97

-7.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.71 BAM 1.21

1.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$3.78 BAM 6.47

-12.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$4.04 BAM 6.91

474.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$0.71 BAM 1.22

291.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$1.08 BAM 1.85

152.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$1.82 BAM 3.11

-85.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$35.23 BAM 60.3

-76.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$1.43 BAM 2.45

-66.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$1.09 BAM 1.86

-61.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$7.24 BAM 12.38

-14.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.48 BAM 2.53

-45.27%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$28.2K BAM 48.2K

-5.63%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$26.1K BAM 44.7K

23.20%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$174 BAM 298

-55.02%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$19.43 BAM 33.23

-79.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$24.03 BAM 41.10

1.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$29.92 BAM 51.2

229.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$11.09 BAM 18.97

-42.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$4.67 BAM 7.99

-14.56%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$207 BAM 354

47.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$3,694 BAM 6,319

79.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$70.3 BAM 120

-23.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$36.78 BAM 62.9

2.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$87.8 BAM 150

-1.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$114 BAM 195

-33.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$262 BAM 448

278.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$167 BAM 285

303.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$363 BAM 621

829.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$314 BAM 537

552.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$2,490 BAM 4,259

12.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$1,817 BAM 3,107

22.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$877 BAM 1,500

-80.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

2.9

357.93%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Neum: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $262 in Neum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Neum pays 425% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $42.00 in Neum. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $217, with Neum cheaper for home cooking.

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 Neum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Neum differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $952 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 425% lower in Neum. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $262 in Neum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Neum runs roughly 334% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $207 in Neum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $952 in Neum versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Neum but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Neum 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 Neum 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 Neum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.