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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $768 in Niigata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,162 in Niigata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,556 in Niigata.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 78% more expensive than in Niigata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Niigata is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$6.37 ¥994

-46.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$16.41 ¥2,561

121.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$5.07 ¥790

12.62%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.67 ¥417

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.65 ¥258

6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.83 ¥130

4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.53 ¥395

16.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$2.69 ¥420

68.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.26 ¥196

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.93 ¥146

150.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$2.65 ¥413

-58.11%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.24 ¥350

-1.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$7.71 ¥1,202

129.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$7.53 ¥1,175

-45.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$18.56 ¥2,895

-34.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$3.32 ¥518

11.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.28 ¥200

24.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$2.55 ¥399

-10.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$2.24 ¥349

-12.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.99 ¥310

-4.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.90 ¥297

22.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.01 ¥158

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.62 ¥96.4

-11.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$3.98 ¥621

-43.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$4.50 ¥702

412.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.77 ¥275

36.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$1.89 ¥295

58.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$1.30 ¥203

-79.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$2.61 ¥407

-81.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$3.20 ¥499

-86.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$18.99 ¥2,962

-70.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.13 ¥176

-29.20%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$19.5K ¥3.0M

27.69%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$13.0K ¥2.0M

143.74%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$157 ¥24.5K

-48.13%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$22.59 ¥3,525

-71.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$26.29 ¥4,102

-28.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$53.2 ¥8,295

6.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$6.59 ¥1,029

184.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$12.43 ¥1,940

-63.48%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$65.6 ¥10.2K

632.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$18.1K ¥2.8M

-68.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$32.83 ¥5,123

38.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$32.65 ¥5,094

9.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$39.55 ¥6,170

103.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$66.0 ¥10.3K

19.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$363 ¥56.6K

207.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$1,313 ¥204.8K

-87.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

1.48

831.08%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Niigata: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $363 in Niigata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Niigata pays 681% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $16.00 in Niigata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $246 per month, with Niigata 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 Niigata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Niigata differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $768 including rent). Niigata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 681% lower in Niigata. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $363 in Niigata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $768 in Niigata – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $768 in Niigata versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Niigata but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Niigata 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 Niigata 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 Niigata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.