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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,256 in Placencia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,181 in Placencia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,106 in Placencia, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 12% more than Placencia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Placencia is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$11.77 BZD 23.55

-70.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$37.61 BZD 75.2

-14.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$10.26 BZD 20.52

-52.83%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$3.46 BZD 6.91

-20.52%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$1.03 BZD 2.05

33.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.48 BZD 0.96

56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$3.26 BZD 6.52

-8.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$3.09 BZD 6.17

24.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$3.50 BZD 7.00

-50.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$2.44 BZD 4.89

-0.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$11.70 BZD 23.41

23.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$15.29 BZD 30.59

51.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$2.72 BZD 5.44

2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$2.93 BZD 5.86

-6.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.76 BZD 3.51

-53.98%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$91.0 BZD 182

-13.90%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$49.82 BZD 99.7

-91.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$69.2 BZD 138

-64.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$601 BZD 1,203

64.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$700 BZD 1,400

-3.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Placencia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $601 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $38.00 in Placencia. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $130 in Placencia – so Placencia 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 Placencia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,885 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.

Groceries cost about 129% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $38.00 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 $1,256, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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.