Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Nuwara Eliya Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Nuwara Eliya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $503 in Nuwara Eliya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $825 in Nuwara Eliya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,147 in Nuwara Eliya.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 172% more expensive than in Nuwara Eliya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Nuwara Eliya is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$4.49 LKR 1,486

-23.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

$25.70 LKR 8,497

41.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$7.45 LKR 2,463

-23.36%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.55 LKR 845

4.71%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.37 LKR 122

372.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.25 LKR 82.5

248.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$2.20 LKR 727

34.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$2.98 LKR 987

51.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.55 LKR 514

4.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.57 LKR 188

308.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.75 LKR 248

48.00%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.62 LKR 536

35.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

$12.98 LKR 4,293

36.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$5.22 LKR 1,727

-21.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$7.25 LKR 2,396

68.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$6.69 LKR 2,211

-44.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$0.83 LKR 275

91.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$4.27 LKR 1,412

-46.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.24 LKR 411

57.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.01 LKR 333

89.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$0.81 LKR 267

187.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.96 LKR 317

5.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,791

$0.45 LKR 150

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$10.56 LKR 3,492

-78.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

$13.73 LKR 4,541

68.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.90 LKR 627

27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$2.90 LKR 957

3.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,582

$0.42 LKR 138

14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,693

$0.38 LKR 127

13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$0.93 LKR 308

506.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.30 LKR 428

-38.46%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

$30.4K LKR 10.1M

-18.07%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

$42.7K LKR 14.1M

-25.75%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$54.5 LKR 18.0K

49.36%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$4.28 LKR 1,415

51.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

$21.22 LKR 7,017

-11.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$4.44 LKR 1,468

2.25%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$37.70 LKR 12.5K

1174.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$1,229 LKR 406.5K

364.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

$20.49 LKR 6,777

122.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

$16.63 LKR 5,498

115.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$79.2 LKR 26.2K

1.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$42.14 LKR 13.9K

86.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

12.69

8.59%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Nuwara Eliya: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $26.00 in Nuwara Eliya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $236 per month, with Nuwara Eliya 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 Nuwara Eliya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nuwara Eliya is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 172% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,052 in Ubud, Bali and $754 in Nuwara Eliya to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $37.70 in Nuwara Eliya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Nuwara Eliya – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $503 in Nuwara Eliya versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nuwara Eliya but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Nuwara Eliya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nuwara Eliya is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Nuwara Eliya 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 Nuwara Eliya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 172% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.