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 $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $970 in Palermo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,551 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,595 in Palermo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,220 in Palermo, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 44% more than Palermo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Palermo is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.6K

$10.67 ARS 15.5K

-68.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 577.1K

$33.83 ARS 49.1K

-4.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 89.1K

$8.98 ARS 13.0K

-44.32%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.3K

$2.69 ARS 3,901

4.83%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

$1.63 ARS 2,367

-15.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$1.48 ARS 2,147

-50.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

$2.13 ARS 3,085

39.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.8K

$2.92 ARS 4,239

35.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.0K

$1.25 ARS 1,816

43.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.59 ARS 2,303

54.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$1.95 ARS 2,824

-38.46%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.6K

$2.25 ARS 3,262

6.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 256.6K

$9.99 ARS 14.5K

44.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 76.4K

$6.05 ARS 8,772

-29.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 210.6K

$9.21 ARS 13.4K

28.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.4K

$2.01 ARS 2,911

88.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$2.14 ARS 3,105

-23.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.9K

$1.33 ARS 1,927

110.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.3K

$2.62 ARS 3,796

-13.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.6K

$1.14 ARS 1,660

75.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.4K

$1.24 ARS 1,796

78.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

$1.27 ARS 1,835

-15.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.43 ARS 2,069

-46.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.7K

$3.06 ARS 4,436

2.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 424.4K

$5.10 ARS 7,391

366.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.6K

$2.02 ARS 2,925

40.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.5K

$3.12 ARS 4,531

-10.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,755

$0.77 ARS 1,115

-64.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 149.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,082

$1.52 ARS 2,204

-70.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,624

$0.91 ARS 1,315

-52.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 106.5K

$5.98 ARS 8,675

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.07 ARS 1,551

-25.23%

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

$25.8K Rp 459.9M

$27.5K ARS 39.9M

-6.16%

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

$31.8K Rp 566.8M

$29.8K ARS 43.2M

6.69%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$67.5 ARS 98.0K

19.54%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.7K

$17.14 ARS 24.9K

-75.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 429.8K

$22.79 ARS 33.1K

5.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$26.28 ARS 38.1K

271.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 118.4K

$13.92 ARS 20.2K

-52.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.9K

$6.10 ARS 8,844

-33.77%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$217 ARS 314.3K

37.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 117.4M

$2,665 ARS 3.9M

147.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 982.6K

$73.3 ARS 106.3K

-24.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 686.2K

$70.6 ARS 102.4K

-45.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$117 ARS 169.6K

-26.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$110 ARS 159.1K

-28.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.6M

$332 ARS 481.1K

197.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$239 ARS 347.2K

177.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.4M

$681 ARS 988.4K

405.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.4M

$538 ARS 780.9K

279.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.4M

$1,978 ARS 2.9M

43.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

58.5

-77.30%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for Palermo: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $332 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $34.00 in Palermo. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Ubud, Bali vs $229 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 44% more than Palermo, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,091 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,455 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 $1,394 in Ubud, Bali and $970 in Palermo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $297 per month in Ubud, Bali and $217 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 $970, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,394. 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 $970 versus $1,394 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.