Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Norfolk, VA Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Norfolk, VA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,002 in Norfolk, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,207 in Norfolk, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $5,412 in Norfolk, VA.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 54% less than in Norfolk, VA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Norfolk, VA 125% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.6K

$19.46 $19.46

-82.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 577.1K

$73.6 $73.6

-55.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 89.1K

$12.13 $12.13

-58.78%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.3K

$5.49 $5.49

-48.63%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

$2.27 $2.27

-39.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$2.02 $2.02

-63.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

$5.96 $5.96

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.8K

$7.04 $7.04

-43.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.0K

$0.90 $0.90

98.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$4.14 $4.14

-40.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$5.47 $5.47

-78.06%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.6K

$4.78 $4.78

-50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 256.6K

$13.58 $13.58

6.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 76.4K

$11.23 $11.23

-61.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 210.6K

$16.43 $16.43

-28.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.4K

$4.76 $4.76

-20.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$1.42 $1.42

14.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.9K

$5.82 $5.82

-51.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.3K

$6.37 $6.37

-64.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.6K

$2.31 $2.31

-13.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.4K

$3.22 $3.22

-31.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

$1.70 $1.70

-37.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$2.14 $2.14

-64.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.7K

$8.88 $8.88

-64.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 424.4K

$15.12 $15.12

57.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.6K

$1.76 $1.76

61.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.5K

$3.01 $3.01

-7.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,755

$2.01 $2.01

-86.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 149.1K

$101 $101

-91.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,082

$4.77 $4.77

-90.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,624

$1.34 $1.34

-67.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 106.5K

$15.29 $15.29

-60.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$0.81 $0.81

-1.23%

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

$25.8K Rp 459.9M

$29.8K $29.8K

-13.33%

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

$31.8K Rp 566.8M

$26.2K $26.2K

21.60%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$189 $189

-57.36%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.7K

$48.93 $48.93

-91.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 429.8K

$71.1 $71.1

-66.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$39.61 $39.61

146.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 118.4K

$17.72 $17.72

-62.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.9K

$12.14 $12.14

-66.72%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$1,503 $1,503

-80.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 117.4M

$16.0K $16.0K

-58.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 982.6K

$61.0 $61.0

-9.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 686.2K

$46.47 $46.47

-17.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$99.6 $99.6

-13.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$138 $138

-43.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.6M

$1,854 $1,854

-46.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$1,604 $1,604

-58.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.4M

$2,498 $2,498

37.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.4M

$2,235 $2,235

-8.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.4M

$2,450 $2,450

15.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.7M

$2,311 $2,311

-1.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$3,378 $3,378

-94.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.53

103.37%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for Norfolk, VA: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Ubud, Bali and $1,854 in Norfolk, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Norfolk, VA pays 1896% 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: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $74.0 in Norfolk, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $416 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 Norfolk, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Norfolk, VA differ by about 115% in total monthly costs ($1,394 vs $3,002 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1896% lower in Norfolk, VA. 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: $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,854 in Norfolk, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,503 in Norfolk, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Norfolk, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,002 in Norfolk, VA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Norfolk, VA. 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 Norfolk, VA 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 115% less than in Norfolk, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.