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 $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,072 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,600 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,129 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 30% more than Pietermaritzburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Pietermaritzburg is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$7.92 R 126

-57.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.4K

$37.51 R 598

2.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$5.78 R 92.2

-4.50%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$2.44 R 38.96

8.20%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$1.21 R 19.29

38.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$1.02 R 16.33

-24.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$2.33 R 37.23

12.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$2.61 R 41.71

63.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.38 R 22.00

12.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$0.95 R 15.18

133.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$1.79 R 28.52

-36.87%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$3.33 R 53.1

-37.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.7K

$7.20 R 115

141.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$5.24 R 83.5

-26.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.3K

$6.93 R 111

81.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$2.10 R 33.52

72.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$2.02 R 32.25

-22.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$2.40 R 38.32

-2.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$2.05 R 32.74

0.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$1.79 R 28.53

6.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.81 R 28.91

29.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$1.59 R 25.34

-35.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,781

$1.11 R 17.67

-50.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$3.27 R 52.1

-31.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.8K

$4.06 R 64.8

486.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.42 R 22.69

62.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$1.84 R 29.42

52.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,803

$2.97 R 47.32

-90.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

$19.96 R 318

-56.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,490

$1.71 R 27.20

-71.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,865

$1.07 R 17.00

-57.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.41 R 22.55

-46.10%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.7M

$27.8K R 442.7K

-11.78%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.4M

$27.6K R 440.1K

16.43%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$210 R 3,351

-60.23%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$32.58 R 520

-80.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.9K

$38.29 R 611

-50.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 987.0K

$44.49 R 710

25.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.3K

$3.10 R 49.40

500.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$4.88 R 77.8

-12.30%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$186 R 2,970

161.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.3M

$5,342 R 85.2K

9.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.3K

$58.3 R 930

-21.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.5K

$35.24 R 562

3.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$120 R 1,915

-31.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$70.4 R 1,122

14.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$228 R 3,636

389.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$227 R 3,616

209.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$617 R 9,841

473.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$424 R 6,763

315.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$6,128 R 97.7K

-53.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$152 R 2,428

1405.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$1,090 R 17.4K

-84.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.67

18.08%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $228 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 542% 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $38.00 in Pietermaritzburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $202 – making Pietermaritzburg 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 Pietermaritzburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, $1,072 in Pietermaritzburg – roughly 30% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,608 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 $487 per month in Ubud, Bali and $186 in Pietermaritzburg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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 $1,072, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. 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 $1,072 in Pietermaritzburg to $1,396 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.