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 $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $972 in Palermo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,568 in Palermo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,163 in Palermo, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 48% more than Palermo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Palermo is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$10.40 ARS 14.5K

-65.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$34.33 ARS 47.9K

-5.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$9.20 ARS 12.8K

-44.89%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.75 ARS 3,837

2.91%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$1.63 ARS 2,275

-17.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$1.53 ARS 2,136

-54.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.06 ARS 2,877

45.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.92 ARS 4,080

31.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.32 ARS 1,837

31.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.64 ARS 2,286

54.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.95 ARS 2,723

-38.97%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.26 ARS 3,154

7.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$10.02 ARS 14.0K

46.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$6.09 ARS 8,496

-31.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$9.18 ARS 12.8K

30.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.01 ARS 2,811

83.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$2.11 ARS 2,946

-23.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.26 ARS 1,752

113.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$2.54 ARS 3,541

-8.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.19 ARS 1,662

60.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.21 ARS 1,687

80.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.27 ARS 1,777

-16.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$1.49 ARS 2,077

-51.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$3.05 ARS 4,259

2.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$4.90 ARS 6,832

379.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.06 ARS 2,874

33.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$3.02 ARS 4,211

-4.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.83 ARS 1,154

-65.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.48 ARS 2,061

-69.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.87 ARS 1,212

-51.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$6.15 ARS 8,579

0.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.06 ARS 1,484

-20.75%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$26.9K ARS 37.5M

-2.47%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$29.8K ARS 41.6M

8.84%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$66.9 ARS 93.4K

17.22%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$17.43 ARS 24.3K

-77.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$22.51 ARS 31.4K

8.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$26.15 ARS 36.5K

269.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$13.60 ARS 19.0K

-53.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$6.23 ARS 8,688

-35.15%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$224 ARS 312.4K

35.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$2,662 ARS 3.7M

145.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$72.8 ARS 101.6K

-26.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$68.7 ARS 95.9K

-44.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$113 ARS 157.8K

-23.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$110 ARS 153.5K

-28.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$333 ARS 464.9K

203.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$233 ARS 324.7K

189.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$691 ARS 964.1K

390.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$529 ARS 738.1K

296.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$2,092 ARS 2.9M

42.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Palermo: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $333 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $34.00 in Palermo. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $230 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 48% 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 $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,458 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 $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $972 in Palermo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Ubud, Bali and $224 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 $972, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. 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 $972 versus $1,438 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.