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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $724 in Palmas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,111 in Palmas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,757 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,499 in Palmas, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 95% more than Palmas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Palmas is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

$3.65 R$18.15

-6.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

$17.91 R$89.0

84.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

$7.25 R$36.01

-29.93%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

$1.30 R$6.47

116.92%

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$1.71 R$8.48

-19.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$1.01 R$5.03

-29.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

$1.28 R$6.34

132.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

$2.62 R$13.05

49.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$1.05 R$5.21

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$1.38 R$6.87

82.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$1.79 R$8.88

-32.40%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$2.35 R$11.66

-0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

$6.45 R$32.08

124.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

$3.35 R$16.63

30.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

$5.84 R$29.00

106.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

$2.13 R$10.57

79.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.57 R$7.80

2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

$1.18 R$5.88

128.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$1.06 R$5.28

110.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$1.15 R$5.73

65.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$1.05 R$5.22

107.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$0.73 R$3.64

41.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$0.66 R$3.29

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

$2.16 R$10.73

47.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

$7.21 R$35.85

222.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$0.97 R$4.82

193.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$1.98 R$9.86

37.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

$0.66 R$3.26

-56.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

$38.14 R$190

-77.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

$1.10 R$5.48

-55.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

$0.71 R$3.51

-36.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

$6.57 R$32.66

-4.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$1.04 R$5.17

-18.27%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

$20.7K R$103.0K

25.76%

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

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

$27.4K R$136.1K

15.10%

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$117 R$582

-31.93%

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

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

$10.71 R$53.2

-61.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

$18.19 R$90.4

32.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$21.89 R$109

339.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

$21.41 R$106

-69.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

$5.29 R$26.30

-21.93%

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

$128 R$638

131.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

$6,549 R$32.6K

1.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

$37.66 R$187

45.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

$41.82 R$208

-7.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

$91.0 R$452

-1.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$58.4 R$290

35.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

$218 R$1,083

367.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

$147 R$729

349.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

$458 R$2,275

650.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

$291 R$1,446

605.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

$1,692 R$8,408

76.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

$1,211 R$6,019

95.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 3.0M

$295 R$1,468

-41.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.92

21.61%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Last update for Palmas: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $218 in Palmas. 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 72% higher in Palmas, 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 $33 in Ubud, Bali versus $18 in Palmas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $164 – making Palmas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Palmas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $724 in Palmas – roughly 95% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,086 in Palmas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palmas, 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $18.00 in Palmas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $724 in Palmas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Palmas, where all-in costs run around $724, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Palmas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $724 in Palmas to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Palmas. 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.