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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,017 in Pale, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,523 in Pale, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,029 in Pale, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 37% more than Pale, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Pale is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$8.67 BAM 14.58

-61.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$41.07 BAM 69.1

-6.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$9.16 BAM 15.41

-39.74%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$1.91 BAM 3.22

38.22%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$2.30 BAM 3.87

-27.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$1.51 BAM 2.55

-49.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$2.56 BAM 4.30

2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$3.00 BAM 5.04

42.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.40 BAM 2.36

10.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$1.20 BAM 2.02

85.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$1.63 BAM 2.75

-30.67%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$3.01 BAM 5.07

-30.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.7K

$9.71 BAM 16.34

79.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$8.38 BAM 14.11

-53.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.3K

$14.70 BAM 24.74

-14.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$1.51 BAM 2.53

139.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$2.03 BAM 3.42

-23.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$2.31 BAM 3.89

1.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$2.19 BAM 3.68

-5.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$1.06 BAM 1.78

79.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.45 BAM 2.45

61.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$1.19 BAM 1.99

-13.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,780

$0.90 BAM 1.51

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$4.01 BAM 6.75

-43.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$8.40 BAM 14.13

183.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$0.98 BAM 1.65

135.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$1.51 BAM 2.54

85.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$1.35 BAM 2.27

-80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

$17.89 BAM 30.11

-51.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$1.81 BAM 3.04

-73.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,864

$1.18 BAM 1.98

-61.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$14.97 BAM 25.20

-61.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.73 BAM 2.90

-56.07%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.7M

$31.1K BAM 52.3K

-21.24%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$24.3K BAM 41.0K

31.98%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$177 BAM 298

-52.84%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$16.68 BAM 28.07

-61.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.9K

$28.33 BAM 47.66

-32.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.9K

$24.11 BAM 40.56

132.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

$8.69 BAM 14.62

114.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$5.83 BAM 9.80

-26.59%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$217 BAM 365

124.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$3,692 BAM 6,212

58.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$87.5 BAM 147

-47.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$36.79 BAM 61.9

-1.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$101 BAM 171

-19.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$128 BAM 216

-37.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$200 BAM 337

457.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$166 BAM 279

322.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$292 BAM 491

1110.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$226 BAM 381

678.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$1,369 BAM 2,304

106.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$1,156 BAM 1,946

98.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$770 BAM 1,296

-77.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.08

237.75%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Pale: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $200 in Pale. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 354% higher in Pale, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $41.00 in Pale. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Ubud, Bali vs $246 in Pale – so Pale wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Pale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,526 in Pale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pale, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $41.00 in Pale. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,396 in Ubud, Bali and $1,017 in Pale. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pale, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. In Pale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pale – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Pale. 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.