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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $891 in Pai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,451 in Pai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,010 in Pai, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 58% more than Pai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Pai is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$3.02 ฿102

14.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$24.27 ฿817

33.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$6.93 ฿233

-30.16%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.00 ฿67.1

37.50%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.71 ฿23.81

94.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.38 ฿12.67

97.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$2.22 ฿74.8

34.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$3.54 ฿119

8.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.67 ฿56.2

4.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.36 ฿45.79

80.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.26 ฿42.34

-7.14%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$2.04 ฿68.8

19.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$17.55 ฿590

-17.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$3.00 ฿101

45.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$10.91 ฿367

9.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$2.82 ฿94.8

31.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.18 ฿39.68

38.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$1.91 ฿64.1

43.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$1.55 ฿52.3

44.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$1.50 ฿50.6

28.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$1.20 ฿40.31

90.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.01 ฿34.06

4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.52 ฿17.43

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$4.30 ฿145

-23.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$18.80 ฿633

23.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$1.72 ฿58.0

61.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$2.71 ฿91.2

0.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.94 ฿31.56

-71.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$1.06 ฿35.82

-54.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$1.19 ฿40.06

-64.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$6.21 ฿209

0.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.25 ฿42.10

-35.20%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$27.8K ฿934.5K

-4.18%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$26.7K ฿900.1K

20.34%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$73.5 ฿2,475

6.54%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$13.31 ฿448

-69.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$18.65 ฿628

30.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$48.34 ฿1,627

103.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$12.06 ฿406

-47.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$6.80 ฿229

-41.32%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$297 ฿9,987

2.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$9,396 ฿316.2K

-29.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$31.65 ฿1,065

71.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$34.42 ฿1,158

9.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$82.4 ฿2,774

5.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$65.2 ฿2,195

17.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$446 ฿15.0K

122.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$270 ฿9,078

149.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$817 ฿27.5K

312.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$650 ฿21.9K

215.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$2,521 ฿84.8K

11.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$1,795 ฿60.4K

24.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Pai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $446 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $24.00 in Pai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $891 in Pai – roughly 58% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,337 in Pai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $891 in Pai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Ubud, Bali and $297 in Pai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pai, where all-in costs run around $891, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Pai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $891 in Pai to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 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.