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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,369 in Placencia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,546 in Placencia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,722 in Placencia, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 2% more than Placencia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Placencia sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 2%, Placencia by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

$14.74 BZD 29.48

-77.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

$61.7 BZD 123

-37.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

$11.90 BZD 23.81

-53.61%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

$4.09 BZD 8.18

-35.45%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$1.02 BZD 2.04

63.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.48 BZD 0.96

60.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

$2.54 BZD 5.09

3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$3.07 BZD 6.13

39.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$3.45 BZD 6.90

-55.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$3.28 BZD 6.55

-32.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

$2.25 BZD 4.50

-49.78%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

$2.45 BZD 4.90

-14.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

$30.18 BZD 60.4

-42.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

$11.00 BZD 22.00

-64.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$1.41 BZD 2.81

10.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,809

$0.98 BZD 1.97

-43.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

$14.93 BZD 29.86

59.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$1.69 BZD 3.39

36.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

$2.93 BZD 5.86

-4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,515

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,887

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.82 BZD 3.65

-58.24%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

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

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$91.9 BZD 184

-9.13%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

$50.0 BZD 100

-87.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

$71.2 BZD 142

-73.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$1,083 BZD 2,167

3.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$622 BZD 1,244

12.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Placencia: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,083 in Placencia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $62.0 in Placencia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $296 – making Ubud, Bali 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 Placencia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,054 in Placencia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Ubud, Bali – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $62.0 in Placencia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Placencia, where all-in costs run around $1,369, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. In Placencia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Placencia – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Placencia. 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.