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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $671 in Pekanbaru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $972 in Pekanbaru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,273 in Pekanbaru.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 111% more expensive than Pekanbaru, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Pekanbaru is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

125.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$9.16 Rp 163.6K

257.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$2.43 Rp 43.3K

103.70%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

100.74%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.50 Rp 8,881

168.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.24 Rp 4,259

191.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.21 Rp 39.5K

32.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$3.31 Rp 59.1K

19.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.36 Rp 24.2K

33.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

110.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

18.37%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.71 Rp 30.5K

43.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$17.17 Rp 306.6K

-14.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$2.62 Rp 46.8K

64.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$10.17 Rp 181.5K

19.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.88 Rp 51.4K

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.68 Rp 30.1K

-7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

41.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

142.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

89.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.67 Rp 29.8K

31.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

-32.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.45 Rp 8,024

73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$2.25 Rp 40.2K

47.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$21.07 Rp 376.3K

12.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$2.80 Rp 50.0K

-0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$4.08 Rp 72.8K

-29.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.29 Rp 5,261

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$9.04 Rp 161.5K

-11.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$0.88 Rp 15.7K

-47.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.44 Rp 7,814

2.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$2.14 Rp 38.2K

185.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

2.60%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$22.7K Rp 405.1M

15.28%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$25.7K Rp 459.7M

24.77%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

15.34%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$6.73 Rp 120.2K

-39.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$28.30 Rp 505.4K

-16.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$23.12 Rp 412.8K

326.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$12.25 Rp 218.7K

-45.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$3.29 Rp 58.7K

26.14%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$175 Rp 3.1M

73.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$3,092 Rp 55.2M

113.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$34.33 Rp 613.1K

61.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$36.18 Rp 646.2K

5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$65.1 Rp 1.2M

36.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$76.5 Rp 1.4M

1.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$258 Rp 4.6M

290.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$120 Rp 2.2M

460.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$908 Rp 16.2M

279.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$154 Rp 2.7M

1224.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$1,026 Rp 18.3M

176.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$722 Rp 12.9M

213.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$190 Rp 3.4M

-13.11%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Pekanbaru: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $258 in Pekanbaru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pekanbaru pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $9.00 in Pekanbaru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $251 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 111% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Pekanbaru earns 15% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $258 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $671 in Pekanbaru – a 111% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $671 in Pekanbaru versus $1,419 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 111% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.