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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,592 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,133 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 34% more than Pietermaritzburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Pietermaritzburg is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$7.92 R 131

-56.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$43.07 R 711

-24.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$5.57 R 92.0

-13.11%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.14 R 35.27

28.50%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.93 R 15.28

48.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.70 R 11.56

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.64 R 26.98

82.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.42 R 39.96

59.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.04 R 17.20

67.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.82 R 13.51

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.52 R 25.05

-23.03%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.28 R 37.58

6.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$7.26 R 120

99.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$4.66 R 76.9

-6.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$7.06 R 117

69.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$1.60 R 26.33

132.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.69 R 27.85

-3.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.93 R 31.82

41.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.73 R 28.58

29.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.53 R 25.20

25.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.75 R 28.88

30.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.23 R 20.38

-13.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.91 R 14.95

-20.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$2.89 R 47.71

13.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$4.02 R 66.3

476.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.40 R 23.08

98.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.78 R 29.38

53.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$2.64 R 43.62

-89.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$18.28 R 302

-55.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.71 R 28.16

-71.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.52 R 8.61

-19.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$4.13 R 68.1

50.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.21 R 20.04

-33.06%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$23.7K R 391.0K

12.32%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$22.8K R 376.9K

40.94%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$232 R 3,822

-66.17%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$30.00 R 495

-86.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$58.2 R 960

-58.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$38.55 R 636

155.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$5.11 R 84.3

-21.92%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$151 R 2,489

102.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$4,784 R 78.9K

38.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$62.6 R 1,033

-13.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$38.00 R 627

-0.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$180 R 2,967

-51.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$74.3 R 1,226

2.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$205 R 3,383

383.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$188 R 3,105

257.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$511 R 8,438

560.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$383 R 6,319

435.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$3,624 R 59.8K

-22.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$447 R 7,383

397.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$1,071 R 17.7K

-84.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.5

15.48%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $205 in Pietermaritzburg. 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 541% higher in Pietermaritzburg, 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $43.00 in Pietermaritzburg. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $177 in Pietermaritzburg – so Pietermaritzburg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Pietermaritzburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg – roughly 34% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,578 in Pietermaritzburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pietermaritzburg, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Ubud, Bali and $151 in Pietermaritzburg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 68% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pietermaritzburg, where all-in costs run around $1,052, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Pietermaritzburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Pietermaritzburg. 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.