Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Pai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Pai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $874 in Pai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,441 in Pai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,009 in Pai, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 62% more than Pai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Pai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Pai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.56 Rp 63.7K
$3.15 ฿103
13.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.73 Rp 584.5K
$24.77 ฿809
32.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.95 Rp 88.4K
$7.06 ฿231
-29.89%
Cappuccino
$2.71 Rp 48.4K
$2.09 ฿68.2
29.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 Rp 24.0K
$0.65 ฿21.16
106.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 Rp 12.5K
$0.37 ฿12.15
89.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 Rp 52.1K
$2.18 ฿71.2
33.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 Rp 70.7K
$3.65 ฿119
8.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Pai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 Rp 32.3K
$1.69 ฿55.2
7.10%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 Rp 45.0K
$1.35 ฿44.20
86.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 Rp 20.7K
$1.26 ฿41.23
-7.94%
Eggs
$2.46 Rp 43.9K
$2.06 ฿67.2
19.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.71 Rp 262.7K
$17.35 ฿567
-15.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.32 Rp 77.1K
$2.96 ฿96.8
45.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.14 Rp 216.7K
$10.78 ฿352
12.62%
Apples (1kg)
$3.84 Rp 68.6K
$2.92 ฿95.3
31.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 Rp 27.8K
$1.23 ฿40.28
26.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.83 Rp 50.6K
$1.92 ฿62.6
47.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.5K
$1.50 ฿49.01
55.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.2K
$1.48 ฿48.48
29.05%
Onion (1kg)
$2.20 Rp 39.3K
$1.21 ฿39.65
81.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 Rp 18.1K
$1.01 ฿33.02
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 Rp 13.8K
$0.51 ฿16.80
52.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.32 Rp 59.2K
$4.39 ฿143
-24.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.74 Rp 423.9K
$18.80 ฿614
26.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 Rp 49.8K
$1.78 ฿58.3
56.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 Rp 51.1K
$2.68 ฿87.6
6.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Pai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,800
$0.97 ฿31.55
-72.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.03 Rp 143.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.46 Rp 8,150
$1.10 ฿35.89
-58.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 8,037
$1.19 ฿38.92
-62.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.10 Rp 108.9K
$6.12 ฿200
-0.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
$1.24 ฿40.65
-36.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K Rp 467.0M
$27.8K ฿908.5K
-5.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K Rp 573.6M
$27.2K ฿887.2K
18.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Pai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
$72.9 ฿2,382
9.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.06 Rp 72.6K
$13.31 ฿435
-69.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52 Rp 420.0K
$18.33 ฿599
28.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Pai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.7 Rp 1.8M
$49.65 ฿1,622
98.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.63 Rp 118.4K
$12.29 ฿401
-46.05%
Cinema Ticket
$4.15 Rp 74.1K
$6.95 ฿227
-40.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Pai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$304 Rp 5.4M
$299 ฿9,759
1.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,613 Rp 118.1M
$9,327 ฿304.6K
-29.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Pai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.5 Rp 991.8K
$32.43 ฿1,059
71.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.31 Rp 684.1K
$34.24 ฿1,118
11.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.6 Rp 1.6M
$83.4 ฿2,723
6.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
$66.0 ฿2,154
18.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Pai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 Rp 18.0M
$453 ฿14.8K
122.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$675 Rp 12.1M
$262 ฿8,570
157.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,442 Rp 61.5M
$819 ฿26.7K
320.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,039 Rp 36.4M
$667 ฿21.8K
205.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,841 Rp 50.7M
$2,499 ฿81.6K
13.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,264 Rp 40.4M
$1,797 ฿58.7K
26.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Pai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
5.45
143.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Pai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $453 in Pai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $25.00 in Pai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $249 – making Pai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Pai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Ubud, Bali and Pai compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, $874 in Pai – roughly 62% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Ubud, Bali compared to Pai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,311 in Pai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Ubud, Bali and Pai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Pai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ubud, Bali or Pai?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $874 in Pai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ubud, Bali and Pai?
Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $299 in Pai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pai, where all-in costs run around $874, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Pai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Pai?
It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $874 in Pai to $1,419 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Ubud, Bali or Pai safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Ubud, Bali and Pai?
If budget matters most, go with Pai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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