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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,122 in Niigata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,852 in Niigata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,581 in Niigata.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 26% more expensive than Niigata, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Niigata is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$5.65 ¥904

-36.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$48.78 ¥7,803

-32.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$5.49 ¥878

-9.84%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$2.06 ¥330

31.55%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$1.21 ¥193

10.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.79 ¥126

-11.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$2.82 ¥451

3.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$3.44 ¥551

15.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.31 ¥210

38.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$1.20 ¥192

110.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$3.35 ¥536

-65.37%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.42 ¥387

1.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$7.76 ¥1,241

89.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$5.94 ¥950

-27.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$22.94 ¥3,670

-47.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$4.06 ¥649

-5.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$2.57 ¥411

-39.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$3.16 ¥506

-10.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$2.98 ¥477

-21.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$2.27 ¥363

-15.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$2.26 ¥362

-2.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.04 ¥166

-2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.83 ¥133

-6.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$4.01 ¥642

-17.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$4.27 ¥682

455.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.91 ¥306

46.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.72 ¥436

5.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$1.84 ¥294

-85.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$55.0 ¥8,798

-85.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$2.89 ¥462

-84.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$2.77 ¥443

-83.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$20.54 ¥3,285

-70.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.22 ¥194

-35.25%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$16.2K ¥2.6M

61.72%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$15.9K ¥2.5M

102.13%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$162 ¥26.0K

-50.79%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$26.95 ¥4,310

-84.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$33.37 ¥5,337

-29.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$60.1 ¥9,609

64.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$10.25 ¥1,640

-35.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$13.02 ¥2,082

-68.13%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$86.1 ¥13.8K

253.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$15.5K ¥2.5M

-57.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$41.76 ¥6,679

33.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$21.15 ¥3,384

81.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$37.60 ¥6,014

135.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$56.9 ¥9,097

36.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$388 ¥62.1K

159.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$279 ¥44.7K

141.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$851 ¥136.0K

304.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$665 ¥106.4K

206.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$4,514 ¥722.1K

-37.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$2,332 ¥373.0K

-2.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,234 ¥197.5K

-86.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

1.24

970.97%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Niigata: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $388 in Niigata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Niigata pays 647% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $49.00 in Niigata. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $282, with Niigata 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 Niigata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Niigata differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $1,122 including rent). Niigata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Niigata earns 647% 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $388 in Niigata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,122 in Niigata – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Niigata runs roughly 585% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,122 in Niigata versus $1,419 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 26% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.