Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and North Charleston, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,348 a month against $2,982 in North Charleston, SC, rent and utilities included – about $19,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

66

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index
142

Cost of Living Index in North Charleston, SC
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North Charleston, SC Living Index

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Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,348

/mo nomad

North Charleston, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,982

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in North Charleston, SC

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in North Charleston, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,982 in North Charleston, SC, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $1,348
North Charleston, SC $2,982

A couple spends around $2,312 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $4,326 in North Charleston, SC, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $2,312
North Charleston, SC $4,326

A family of three spends $3,276 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $5,670 in North Charleston, SC, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $3,276
North Charleston, SC $5,670

Ubud, Bali is about 55% cheaper than North Charleston, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Ubud, Bali and North Charleston, SC sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 1%, North Charleston, SC by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 59.6K

$20.30 $20.30

-83.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.42 Rp 633.1K

$91.6 $91.6

-61.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 Rp 102.9K

$12.16 $12.16

-52.63%

Cappuccino

$2.63 Rp 47.0K

$5.92 $5.92

-55.57%

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

$1.74 Rp 31.0K

$2.93 $2.93

-40.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$2.43 $2.43

-68.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$6.01 $6.01

-54.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.8K

$8.05 $8.05

-43.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

$1.01 $1.01

51.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 Rp 39.2K

$3.59 $3.59

-38.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

$4.63 $4.63

-73.65%

Eggs

$2.14 Rp 38.2K

$5.10 $5.10

-58.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.73 Rp 316.9K

$7.00 $7.00

153.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 Rp 68.9K

$14.45 $14.45

-73.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 Rp 215.0K

$20.60 $20.60

-41.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 Rp 64.5K

$8.18 $8.18

-55.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

$1.79 $1.79

-15.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.4K

$5.18 $5.18

-55.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

$6.30 $6.30

-68.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$4.41 $4.41

-58.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.7K

$3.21 $3.21

-25.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

$2.61 $2.61

-62.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,373

$1.95 $1.95

-73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 Rp 39.0K

$9.64 $9.64

-77.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.98 Rp 410.7K

$15.76 $15.76

45.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 Rp 42.8K

$2.21 $2.21

8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.6K

$2.97 $2.97

1.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,255

$2.51 $2.51

-90.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.99 Rp 125.0K

$50.6 $50.6

-86.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,876

$2.93 $2.93

-84.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,582

$1.27 $1.27

-66.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 Rp 97.4K

$32.69 $32.69

-83.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

$0.99 $0.99

-15.15%

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

$24.3K Rp 434.8M

$34.9K $34.9K

-30.27%

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

$31.9K Rp 570.0M

$25.2K $25.2K

26.54%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$225 $225

-64.05%

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

$6.58 Rp 117.6K

$76.4 $76.4

-91.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.24 Rp 326.1K

$83.6 $83.6

-78.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 Rp 985.4K

$17.20 $17.20

220.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.51 Rp 330.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 75.9K

$13.91 $13.91

-69.52%

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

$486 Rp 8.7M

$930 $930

-47.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,676 Rp 101.5M

$18.4K $18.4K

-69.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.18 Rp 807.6K

$66.0 $66.0

-31.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 Rp 617.9K

$44.41 $44.41

-22.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 Rp 1.4M

$112 $112

-29.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 Rp 1.4M

$132 $132

-41.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 Rp 20.1M

$2,004 $2,004

-43.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 12.1M

$1,486 $1,486

-54.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,618 Rp 64.7M

$2,465 $2,465

46.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 Rp 31.0M

$2,393 $2,393

-27.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.6M

$2,865 $2,865

-1.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,307 Rp 41.2M

$2,896 $2,896

-20.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 Rp 3.0M

$4,375 $4,375

-96.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.57

109.74%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 5, 2026

Last update for North Charleston, SC: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ubud, Bali

$674 49.6%

North Charleston, SC

$1.5K 50.7% 120% $811

Groceries & Markets

Ubud, Bali

$290 21.4%

North Charleston, SC

$446 15.2% 53.7% $156

Eating Out

Ubud, Bali

$108 8%

North Charleston, SC

$338 11.5% 212% $229

Clothing & Footwear

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.8%

North Charleston, SC

$159 5.5% 49.8% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.8%

North Charleston, SC

$385 13.1% 264% $279

Sport & Entertainment

Ubud, Bali

$64 4.7%

North Charleston, SC

$45 1.5% 29.3% $19

Getting Around

Ubud, Bali

$11 0.8%

North Charleston, SC

$70 2.4% 566% $59

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,127 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,004 in North Charleston, SC. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2541% higher in North Charleston, SC, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $92.0 in North Charleston, SC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $446 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🇺🇸 North Charleston, SC

🕒 Local time

07:39 7:39 AM

19:39 7:39 PM

12 h behind Ubud, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,800

97,471

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 USD = 17,875 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,030 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Ubud, Bali North Charleston, SC 16,890 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Ubud, Bali
North Charleston, SC

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 North Charleston, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Charleston, SC costs about 121% more than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,022 per month in Ubud, Bali and $4,473 in North Charleston, SC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in North Charleston, SC, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali and $92.0 in North Charleston, SC. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,348, than in North Charleston, SC at $2,982. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in North Charleston, SC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,348 versus $2,982 in North Charleston, SC. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, North Charleston, SC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.