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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,161 in Palermo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,363 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,909 in Palermo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,347 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,657 in Palermo, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 19% more than Palermo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ubud, Bali sits 1% above the global median, while Palermo is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$14.73 ARS 22.0K

-77.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$49.08 ARS 73.5K

-20.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$12.67 ARS 19.0K

-55.64%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$3.58 ARS 5,355

-26.26%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$1.84 ARS 2,747

-14.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$1.91 ARS 2,865

-62.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$4.04 ARS 6,041

-32.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$4.18 ARS 6,253

3.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.34 ARS 2,002

14.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$2.20 ARS 3,295

4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.51 ARS 2,256

-31.79%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$2.35 ARS 3,523

-9.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$9.51 ARS 14.2K

81.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$6.42 ARS 9,616

-37.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$11.13 ARS 16.7K

11.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$2.23 ARS 3,333

65.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.18 ARS 3,271

-25.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$1.37 ARS 2,049

65.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$2.22 ARS 3,321

-10.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$1.00 ARS 1,494

83.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$0.86 ARS 1,295

161.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$1.64 ARS 2,448

-36.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$1.59 ARS 2,384

-64.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$3.70 ARS 5,541

-40.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$4.90 ARS 7,332

373.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$1.61 ARS 2,413

48.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$3.09 ARS 4,629

-7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$1.04 ARS 1,558

-75.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$1.61 ARS 2,407

-71.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$1.01 ARS 1,516

-54.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$7.36 ARS 11.0K

-22.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.14 ARS 1,711

-33.33%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$30.6K ARS 45.8M

-19.75%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$28.5K ARS 42.6M

9.00%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$82.7 ARS 123.8K

-0.65%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$17.17 ARS 25.7K

-63.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$25.94 ARS 38.8K

-28.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$31.12 ARS 46.6K

80.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$7.67 ARS 11.5K

-44.46%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$302 ARS 452.6K

61.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$3,983 ARS 6.0M

45.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$96.8 ARS 144.8K

-52.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$61.1 ARS 91.4K

-41.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$112 ARS 168.0K

-29.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$124 ARS 186.1K

-34.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$474 ARS 709.0K

141.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$329 ARS 492.3K

110.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$950 ARS 1.4M

271.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$665 ARS 996.0K

156.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$1,955 ARS 2.9M

42.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$1,371 ARS 2.1M

64.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

54.72

-74.82%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Palermo: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $474 in Palermo. 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $49.00 in Palermo. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Ubud, Bali vs $240 in Palermo – so Palermo 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 Palermo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 19% more than Palermo, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,069 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,741 in Palermo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palermo, 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 $1,379 in Ubud, Bali and $1,161 in Palermo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $489 per month in Ubud, Bali and $302 in Palermo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Palermo, where all-in costs run around $1,161, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,379. In Palermo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Palermo costs $1,161 versus $1,379 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Palermo. 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.