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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $865 in Paulinia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,380 in Paulinia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,896 in Paulinia.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 61% more expensive than in Paulinia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Paulinia is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$7.11 R$36.06

-49.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$31.88 R$162

1.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$6.87 R$34.87

-27.07%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.08 R$10.56

35.58%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.28 R$6.48

5.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.87 R$4.42

-16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.78 R$9.04

64.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.84 R$14.40

38.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$0.95 R$4.82

87.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.52 R$7.73

61.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.40 R$7.08

-17.86%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.41 R$12.24

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$12.41 R$63.0

15.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$4.08 R$20.69

2.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$8.66 R$43.95

39.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$1.61 R$8.16

126.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.38 R$6.99

13.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.42 R$7.22

96.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.66 R$8.44

34.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.25 R$6.36

58.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.29 R$6.52

76.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.01 R$5.12

3.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.67 R$3.41

17.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$2.13 R$10.82

49.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$7.91 R$40.14

196.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.31 R$6.65

121.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.08 R$10.53

32.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.88 R$4.44

-69.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$38.23 R$194

-78.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.16 R$5.90

-61.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.58 R$2.95

-20.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$7.87 R$39.94

-22.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.07 R$5.41

-19.63%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$22.2K R$112.5K

19.91%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$28.5K R$144.5K

14.32%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$86.4 R$438

-8.55%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$16.57 R$84.1

-75.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$22.12 R$112

7.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$36.40 R$185

171.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$21.83 R$111

-70.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$7.63 R$38.71

-47.44%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$330 R$1,676

-10.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$8,131 R$41.3K

-18.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$47.23 R$240

13.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$44.24 R$224

-13.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$80.7 R$409

9.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$63.4 R$322

20.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$311 R$1,579

227.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$219 R$1,111

210.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$576 R$2,925

501.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$438 R$2,223

377.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$1,604 R$8,139

70.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$1,189 R$6,035

92.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Paulinia: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $311 in Paulinia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $32.00 in Paulinia. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $199, with Paulinia cheaper for home cooking.

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 Paulinia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Paulinia differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $865 including rent). Paulinia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,088 in Ubud, Bali and $1,298 in Paulinia to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $311 in Paulinia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Paulinia – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $865 in Paulinia – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $865 in Paulinia versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Paulinia but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Paulinia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Paulinia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Paulinia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.