Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Palakkad

For one person, living is cheaper in Palakkad: $244 a month against $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Palakkad, India
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,349
/mo nomad
Palakkad
🇮🇳 India
$244
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Palakkad

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 Palakkad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,349 in Ubud, Bali versus $244 in Palakkad.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,349
  • Palakkad $244

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,305 in Ubud, Bali versus $454 in Palakkad.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,305
  • Palakkad $454

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,261 in Ubud, Bali versus $665 in Palakkad.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,261
  • Palakkad $665

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 453% more expensive than in Palakkad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Palakkad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.32 Rp 60.3K
$1.15 ₹109
188.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.64 Rp 646.5K
$9.64 ₹915
269.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.53 Rp 100.4K
$2.56 ₹243
116.02%
Cappuccino
$2.72 Rp 49.3K
$0.75 ₹70.8
262.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 Rp 30.9K
$0.37 ₹34.77
359.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 Rp 13.8K
$0.20 ₹18.65
280.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 48.1K
$1.41 ₹134
87.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 Rp 79.5K
$1.60 ₹152
173.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Palakkad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 Rp 27.0K
$0.47 ₹44.74
217.02%
White Bread (500g)
$2.28 Rp 41.3K
$0.45 ₹43.09
406.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 Rp 21.6K
$0.48 ₹45.41
147.92%
Eggs
$2.04 Rp 36.9K
$0.87 ₹82.6
134.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.70 Rp 321.1K
$4.27 ₹406
314.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.96 Rp 71.9K
$1.89 ₹179
109.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.19 Rp 221.1K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.66 Rp 66.3K
$1.29 ₹123
183.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 Rp 27.5K
$0.43 ₹40.92
253.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
$0.73 ₹69.7
205.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.8K
$0.41 ₹39.36
380.49%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 Rp 33.5K
$0.35 ₹33.60
428.57%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 Rp 44.0K
$0.44 ₹41.54
450.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 18.0K
$0.52 ₹49.07
90.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 Rp 9,313
$0.29 ₹27.29
75.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.22 Rp 40.3K
$3.12 ₹296
-28.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.24 Rp 403.4K
$3.33 ₹316
567.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 Rp 41.0K
$1.33 ₹127
69.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 53.9K
$3.75 ₹356
-20.80%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$4.04 ₹384
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Palakkad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,553
$0.16 ₹15.63
56.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.82 Rp 141.9K
$3.62 ₹344
116.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,972
$0.44 ₹41.87
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,801
$0.25 ₹23.68
72.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 Rp 98.1K
$2.12 ₹201
155.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 Rp 15.0K
$1.06 ₹101
-22.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.8K Rp 432.4M
$11.3K ₹1.1M
111.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 575.9M
$19.7K ₹1.9M
61.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Palakkad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
$25.97 ₹2,465
204.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 116.9K
$2.48 ₹235
160.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.58 Rp 337.0K
$9.72 ₹923
91.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Palakkad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.48 Rp 897.5K
$12.93 ₹1,228
282.68%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.65 Rp 320.1K
$6.56 ₹623
169.05%
Cinema Ticket
$4.27 Rp 77.5K
$2.83 ₹268
50.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Palakkad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$491 Rp 8.9M
$10.71 ₹1,017
4480.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,674 Rp 102.9M
$1,156 ₹109.7K
391.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Palakkad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.64 Rp 809.7K
$18.41 ₹1,748
142.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.95 Rp 634.0K
$13.52 ₹1,284
158.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
$29.46 ₹2,797
171.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
$27.75 ₹2,634
186.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Palakkad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,125 Rp 20.4M
$120 ₹11.4K
837.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$671 Rp 12.2M
$23.39 ₹2,221
2770.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,565 Rp 64.7M
$268 ₹25.5K
1228.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,723 Rp 31.3M
$186 ₹17.7K
825.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,732 Rp 49.5M
$936 ₹88.9K
191.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,284 Rp 41.4M
$524 ₹49.8K
335.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Palakkad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$164 Rp 3.0M
$368 ₹35.0K
-55.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
8
72.25%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Last update for Palakkad: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$672
Palakkad
$23 96.5% $648
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$288
Palakkad
$79 72.5% $209
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$108
Palakkad
$38 64.4% $69
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
Palakkad
$40 62.7% $67
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$104
Palakkad
$38 63.3% $66
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$58
Palakkad
$19 68% $39
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$11
Palakkad
$6 47.7% $5.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,125 in Ubud, Bali and $120 in Palakkad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palakkad pays about 2.2 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36 in Ubud, Bali vs $10 in Palakkad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $79 per month, with Palakkad cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇮🇳 Palakkad
🕒 Local time
15:33 3:33 PM
13:03 1:03 PM
2 h 30 min behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
131,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18,138 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,241 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 94.94 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.44 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Palakkad 4,780 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Palakkad

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 Palakkad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Palakkad?
Palakkad wins on cost – living expenses run 82% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Palakkad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or in Palakkad?
On paper, salaries run 56% lower in Ubud, Bali. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali compared to Palakkad?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,125 in Ubud, Bali versus $120 in Palakkad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Ubud, Bali compared to Palakkad?
A monthly transit pass in Palakkad runs roughly 54% less than in Ubud, Bali. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Palakkad?
Childcare runs $491 in Ubud, Bali versus $10.71 in Palakkad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $800/month in Ubud, Bali or in Palakkad?
At $244 in Palakkad versus $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, a $800 budget is realistic in Palakkad but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Palakkad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Ubud, Bali or Palakkad?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Palakkad?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Palakkad are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Palakkad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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