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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,092 in Pilar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,849 in Pilar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,606 in Pilar, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 27% more than Pilar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Pilar is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$14.98 ARS 22.2K

-76.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$59.3 ARS 88.1K

-45.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$12.19 ARS 18.1K

-58.90%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$4.07 ARS 6,041

-30.71%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$2.19 ARS 3,250

-38.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$1.51 ARS 2,245

-51.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$3.70 ARS 5,493

-20.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$4.04 ARS 5,999

-2.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.54 ARS 2,285

15.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$2.51 ARS 3,729

-2.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$2.27 ARS 3,373

-49.34%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.36 ARS 3,508

2.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$11.86 ARS 17.6K

20.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$2.95 ARS 4,378

42.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$9.29 ARS 13.8K

29.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.58 ARS 3,835

41.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$2.09 ARS 3,105

-24.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.30 ARS 1,934

114.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$2.62 ARS 3,883

-14.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.46 ARS 2,162

35.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.54 ARS 2,292

48.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.84 ARS 2,736

-42.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.44 ARS 2,145

-45.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$3.27 ARS 4,850

-2.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$5.93 ARS 8,802

296.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.17 ARS 3,217

33.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$3.20 ARS 4,748

-13.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.81 ARS 1,205

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.56 ARS 2,316

-71.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.85 ARS 1,269

-45.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$5.85 ARS 8,688

3.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.12 ARS 1,661

-23.21%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$24.7K ARS 36.7M

7.66%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$28.8K ARS 42.8M

12.85%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$64.5 ARS 95.7K

22.61%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$10.03 ARS 14.9K

-59.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$19.82 ARS 29.4K

20.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$26.36 ARS 39.1K

274.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$13.94 ARS 20.7K

-54.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$8.73 ARS 13.0K

-54.07%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$330 ARS 490.3K

-9.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$5,158 ARS 7.7M

27.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$110 ARS 164.0K

-51.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$86.6 ARS 128.6K

-55.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$123 ARS 183.0K

-28.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$133 ARS 197.5K

-42.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$336 ARS 498.9K

203.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$233 ARS 346.1K

191.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$690 ARS 1.0M

402.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$545 ARS 809.4K

283.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$2,270 ARS 3.4M

20.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$1,645 ARS 2.4M

39.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$1,014 ARS 1.5M

-83.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

52.71

-74.81%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Pilar: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $336 in Pilar. 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 519% higher in Pilar, 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 $59.0 in Pilar. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $242 in Pilar – so Pilar 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 Pilar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, $1,092 in Pilar – roughly 27% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,638 in Pilar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,392 in Ubud, Bali and $1,092 in Pilar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $297 per month in Ubud, Bali and $330 in Pilar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pilar, where all-in costs run around $1,092, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. In Pilar 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 $1,092 in Pilar to $1,392 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 Pilar. 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.