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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $681 in Pekanbaru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $970 in Pekanbaru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,258 in Pekanbaru.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 107% more expensive than in Pekanbaru, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Pekanbaru is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

121.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$8.68 Rp 155.6K

272.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$2.49 Rp 44.7K

94.38%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

93.66%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.47 Rp 8,369

193.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.26 Rp 4,666

188.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$2.14 Rp 38.4K

39.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$3.43 Rp 61.5K

12.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

29.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

105.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

14.71%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$1.78 Rp 31.9K

36.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$16.88 Rp 302.8K

-14.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$2.61 Rp 46.9K

66.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$10.40 Rp 186.6K

15.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$2.96 Rp 53.0K

25.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.67 Rp 30.0K

-2.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$2.01 Rp 36.1K

36.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

151.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

92.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$1.61 Rp 28.8K

41.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

-32.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.41 Rp 7,385

75.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$2.30 Rp 41.2K

43.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$19.82 Rp 355.6K

17.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

1.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$3.87 Rp 69.5K

-29.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.30 Rp 5,301

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$9.33 Rp 167.4K

-13.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

-46.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$0.40 Rp 7,206

5.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$2.18 Rp 39.1K

185.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

5.19%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$23.2K Rp 415.6M

14.88%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$25.5K Rp 456.6M

26.45%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$70.3 Rp 1.3M

11.48%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$6.58 Rp 118.0K

-38.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$27.97 Rp 501.7K

-13.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$23.15 Rp 415.3K

325.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$12.41 Rp 222.6K

-48.91%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$3.21 Rp 57.5K

24.30%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$174 Rp 3.1M

75.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$3,096 Rp 55.5M

114.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$34.18 Rp 613.1K

58.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$36.35 Rp 652.1K

4.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

32.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$75.9 Rp 1.4M

0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$257 Rp 4.6M

286.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$122 Rp 2.2M

452.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$930 Rp 16.7M

262.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$151 Rp 2.7M

1259.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$1,135 Rp 20.4M

147.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$699 Rp 12.5M

218.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$181 Rp 3.2M

-7.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.15

45.14%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Pekanbaru: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $257 in Pekanbaru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pekanbaru pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $9.00 in Pekanbaru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $247 per month, with Pekanbaru cheaper across the board.

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 Pekanbaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pekanbaru is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Pekanbaru. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $257 in Pekanbaru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pekanbaru – a meal for two runs $9.00 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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $681 in Pekanbaru – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $681 in Pekanbaru versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pekanbaru but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Pekanbaru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pekanbaru is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.