Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Phnom Penh Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Phnom Penh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $963 in Phnom Penh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,487 in Phnom Penh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,011 in Phnom Penh, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 47% more than Phnom Penh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Phnom Penh is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Phnom Penh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.56 Rp 63.7K
$5.14 ៛20.7K
-30.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.73 Rp 584.5K
$29.79 ៛119.8K
9.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.95 Rp 88.4K
$6.95 ៛27.9K
-28.78%
Cappuccino
$2.71 Rp 48.4K
$2.65 ៛10.7K
2.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 Rp 24.0K
$1.02 ៛4,111
31.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 Rp 12.5K
$1.03 ៛4,154
-32.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 Rp 52.1K
$1.47 ៛5,900
98.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 Rp 70.7K
$2.55 ៛10.3K
55.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Phnom Penh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 Rp 32.3K
$2.07 ៛8,342
-12.56%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 Rp 45.0K
$1.46 ៛5,853
72.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 Rp 20.7K
$1.03 ៛4,156
12.62%
Eggs
$2.46 Rp 43.9K
$1.83 ៛7,346
34.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.71 Rp 262.7K
$12.64 ៛50.8K
16.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.32 Rp 77.1K
$4.04 ៛16.2K
6.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.14 Rp 216.7K
$10.44 ៛42.0K
16.28%
Apples (1kg)
$3.84 Rp 68.6K
$4.60 ៛18.5K
-16.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 Rp 27.8K
$1.62 ៛6,500
-3.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.83 Rp 50.6K
$3.81 ៛15.3K
-25.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.5K
$1.45 ៛5,823
60.69%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.2K
$1.67 ៛6,719
14.37%
Onion (1kg)
$2.20 Rp 39.3K
$1.24 ៛4,992
77.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 Rp 18.1K
$1.40 ៛5,613
-27.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 Rp 13.8K
$0.67 ៛2,689
16.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.32 Rp 59.2K
$2.03 ៛8,167
63.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.74 Rp 423.9K
$11.90 ៛47.9K
99.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 Rp 49.8K
$1.02 ៛4,085
173.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 Rp 51.1K
$1.70 ៛6,838
68.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Phnom Penh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,800
$1.53 ៛6,138
-82.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.03 Rp 143.4K
$10.79 ៛43.4K
-25.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.46 Rp 8,150
$1.04 ៛4,172
-55.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 8,037
$1.01 ៛4,065
-55.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.10 Rp 108.9K
$4.61 ៛18.6K
32.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
$1.18 ៛4,750
-33.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K Rp 467.0M
$49.6K ៛199.6M
-47.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K Rp 573.6M
$36.8K ៛147.8M
-12.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Phnom Penh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
$106 ៛426.7K
-24.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.06 Rp 72.6K
$6.41 ៛25.8K
-36.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52 Rp 420.0K
$23.17 ៛93.2K
1.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Phnom Penh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.7 Rp 1.8M
$46.71 ៛187.8K
111.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.63 Rp 118.4K
$14.54 ៛58.5K
-54.40%
Cinema Ticket
$4.15 Rp 74.1K
$4.62 ៛18.6K
-10.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Phnom Penh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$304 Rp 5.4M
$374 ៛1.5M
-18.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,613 Rp 118.1M
$11.7K ៛47.0M
-43.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Phnom Penh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.5 Rp 991.8K
$22.36 ៛89.9K
148.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.31 Rp 684.1K
$22.30 ៛89.7K
71.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.6 Rp 1.6M
$89.9 ៛361.5K
-1.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
$72.2 ៛290.4K
7.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Phnom Penh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 Rp 18.0M
$504 ៛2.0M
99.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$675 Rp 12.1M
$280 ៛1.1M
140.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,442 Rp 61.5M
$1,023 ៛4.1M
236.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,039 Rp 36.4M
$567 ៛2.3M
259.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,841 Rp 50.7M
$2,925 ៛11.8M
-2.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,264 Rp 40.4M
$1,484 ៛6.0M
52.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Phnom Penh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
$349 ៛1.4M
-52.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
10.3
28.93%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phnom Penh: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $504 in Phnom Penh. 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 111% higher in Phnom Penh, 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $30.00 in Phnom Penh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $245 – making Phnom Penh 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 Phnom Penh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phnom Penh cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 47%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,445 in Phnom Penh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phnom Penh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Ubud, Bali and Phnom Penh?
Groceries cost about 23% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Ubud, Bali or Phnom Penh?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $30.00 in Phnom Penh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Ubud, Bali or Phnom Penh?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phnom Penh, where all-in costs run around $963, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Phnom Penh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ubud, Bali or Phnom Penh more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phnom Penh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or Phnom Penh?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phnom Penh. 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.

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