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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $630 in Pekanbaru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $998 in Pekanbaru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,367 in Pekanbaru.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 122% more expensive than in Pekanbaru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Pekanbaru is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

$1.42 Rp 25.3K

137.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

$8.31 Rp 147.7K

364.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

$2.23 Rp 39.7K

147.53%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

107.87%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

$0.42 Rp 7,533

297.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$0.22 Rp 3,889

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

$1.96 Rp 34.9K

34.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

41.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

17.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$1.16 Rp 20.6K

91.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

$0.83 Rp 14.7K

36.14%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

$1.72 Rp 30.5K

21.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

$7.24 Rp 128.7K

140.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

$2.50 Rp 44.4K

54.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

$6.75 Rp 119.9K

85.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

37.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

$1.66 Rp 29.6K

-6.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

$2.38 Rp 42.3K

-1.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

$1.27 Rp 22.6K

62.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$1.30 Rp 23.2K

46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

$2.03 Rp 36.0K

15.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

39.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,854

$0.37 Rp 6,512

48.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

$2.18 Rp 38.7K

3.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

$20.35 Rp 361.6K

17.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

25.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

-5.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,839

$0.29 Rp 5,171

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

$8.60 Rp 152.8K

0.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,554

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

-49.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,924

$0.37 Rp 6,493

21.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

$2.95 Rp 52.5K

93.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

2.70%

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

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

$22.8K Rp 405.3M

7.30%

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

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

$26.8K Rp 476.2M

19.84%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$63.4 Rp 1.1M

31.72%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

$6.32 Rp 112.3K

2.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

$23.43 Rp 416.2K

-18.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

$28.64 Rp 508.8K

95.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

$8.34 Rp 148.2K

123.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

41.72%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$94.8 Rp 1.7M

413.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

$7,876 Rp 139.9M

-25.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

$27.56 Rp 489.6K

65.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

$30.07 Rp 534.2K

20.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

$56.5 Rp 1.0M

45.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$80.5 Rp 1.4M

-0.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

$193 Rp 3.4M

479.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.5M

$153 Rp 2.7M

358.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

$562 Rp 10.0M

529.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

$370 Rp 6.6M

376.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

$1,260 Rp 22.4M

124.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

$668 Rp 11.9M

243.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$181 Rp 3.2M

-6.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.46

45.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Pekanbaru: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $193 in Pekanbaru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pekanbaru pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $8.00 in Pekanbaru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $200 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, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 122% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 6% 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: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $193 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 $8.00 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $630 in Pekanbaru – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $630 in Pekanbaru versus $1,396 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 122% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.