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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,113 in Niigata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,838 in Niigata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,564 in Niigata.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Niigata is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$5.47 ¥889

-36.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$49.22 ¥7,997

-34.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$5.66 ¥920

-14.49%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.05 ¥334

34.15%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.22 ¥198

13.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.74 ¥119

1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.70 ¥438

10.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$3.40 ¥552

13.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.33 ¥215

30.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.18 ¥191

108.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$3.43 ¥558

-65.89%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.34 ¥380

3.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$7.58 ¥1,231

91.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$5.74 ¥933

-24.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$22.97 ¥3,732

-47.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$4.07 ¥662

-8.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$2.55 ¥415

-36.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$3.13 ¥509

-12.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$2.85 ¥464

-21.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$2.38 ¥387

-19.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$2.20 ¥357

3.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.03 ¥168

2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.86 ¥139

-16.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$4.11 ¥667

-19.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$4.39 ¥713

428.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.97 ¥320

41.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.74 ¥444

-0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$1.78 ¥289

-84.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$56.0 ¥9,104

-85.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$2.76 ¥449

-82.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$2.78 ¥451

-84.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$20.48 ¥3,327

-69.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.16 ¥189

-30.17%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$16.0K ¥2.6M

66.82%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$15.7K ¥2.6M

104.92%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$164 ¥26.6K

-52.21%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$26.91 ¥4,372

-84.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$32.99 ¥5,359

-26.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$60.4 ¥9,816

63.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$10.31 ¥1,675

-38.51%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$13.24 ¥2,151

-69.86%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$85.4 ¥13.9K

257.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$15.4K ¥2.5M

-56.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$41.58 ¥6,756

30.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$20.71 ¥3,365

82.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$38.85 ¥6,312

123.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$56.8 ¥9,227

34.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$384 ¥62.4K

158.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$279 ¥45.3K

141.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$851 ¥138.3K

296.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$663 ¥107.7K

209.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$4,134 ¥671.8K

-32.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$2,143 ¥348.2K

3.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$1,245 ¥202.3K

-86.59%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Niigata: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $384 in Niigata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Niigata pays 646% 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 $49.00 in Niigata. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $281, 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 ($1,408 vs $1,113 including rent). Niigata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 646% 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $384 in Niigata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,113 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 591% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,113 in Niigata versus $1,408 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.