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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $538 in Nuwara Eliya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $869 in Nuwara Eliya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,200 in Nuwara Eliya.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 161% more expensive than Nuwara Eliya, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Nuwara Eliya is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$4.06 LKR 1,356

-12.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$25.58 LKR 8,534

27.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$8.14 LKR 2,714

-40.29%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.71 LKR 903

1.48%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.74 LKR 249

78.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.37 LKR 124

89.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.40 LKR 799

21.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.28 LKR 1,093

15.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.70 LKR 567

0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.52 LKR 172

375.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$0.87 LKR 289

37.93%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.12 LKR 708

15.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$13.87 LKR 4,627

3.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$4.81 LKR 1,603

-10.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$8.15 LKR 2,718

49.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$7.61 LKR 2,539

-51.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.11 LKR 369

39.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$5.73 LKR 1,911

-51.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.19 LKR 398

95.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.11 LKR 371

77.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.35 LKR 450

71.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.20 LKR 399

-11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.57 LKR 189

28.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$10.21 LKR 3,406

-67.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$12.47 LKR 4,161

82.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$2.09 LKR 696

34.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.89 LKR 963

-3.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.41 LKR 138

9.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.32 LKR 108

40.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$0.57 LKR 190

994.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.20 LKR 402

-29.17%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

-1.34%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$35.1K LKR 11.7M

-9.74%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$59.7 LKR 19.9K

35.30%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$4.41 LKR 1,471

-7.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$15.13 LKR 5,046

61.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$3.42 LKR 1,141

18.13%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$37.10 LKR 12.4K

719.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$436 LKR 145.4K

1418.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$27.39 LKR 9,138

97.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$19.10 LKR 6,373

103.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$70.6 LKR 23.6K

22.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$39.38 LKR 13.1K

94.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

16.45

-19.27%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Nuwara Eliya: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $26.00 in Nuwara Eliya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $257 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, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,106 in Ubud, Bali and $806 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 $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $37.10 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $538 in Nuwara Eliya versus $1,404 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 161% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.