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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,564 in Placetas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,886 in Placetas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,208 in Placetas.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 9% less than in Placetas, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Placetas 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$14.76 CUP 354

-75.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$13.61 CUP 327

140.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$6.91 CUP 166

-28.36%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$3.03 CUP 72.7

-10.56%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$3.08 CUP 73.9

-56.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$1.86 CUP 44.58

-62.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$4.86 CUP 117

-39.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$2.99 CUP 71.7

32.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.98 CUP 47.54

-8.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.94 CUP 46.57

29.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.02 CUP 24.55

13.73%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.17 CUP 27.98

110.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$7.46 CUP 179

97.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$3.10 CUP 74.4

39.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$12.13 CUP 291

0.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$1.83 CUP 43.89

109.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.13 CUP 27.02

38.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.68 CUP 40.24

68.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.07 CUP 25.72

117.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.97 CUP 23.32

96.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.98 CUP 23.57

124.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.97 CUP 23.36

4.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.99 CUP 23.66

-21.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$3.08 CUP 73.9

7.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$9.86 CUP 237

140.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.97 CUP 47.18

41.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.94 CUP 70.7

-2.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.22 CUP 5.20

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$20.23 CUP 485

-60.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$5.04 CUP 121

-90.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.41 CUP 9.93

9.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$15.22 CUP 365

-59.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.26 CUP 30.35

-37.30%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$76.5K CUP 1.8M

-65.80%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$68.0K CUP 1.6M

-52.75%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$34.56 CUP 830

131.31%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$14.96 CUP 359

-72.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$218 CUP 5,223

-89.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$39.45 CUP 947

150.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$10.09 CUP 242

-34.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$0.99 CUP 23.69

319.19%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$121 CUP 2,913

150.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$10.8K CUP 259.7K

-38.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$45.17 CUP 1,084

22.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$30.46 CUP 731

25.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$49.54 CUP 1,189

78.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$64.0 CUP 1,536

21.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$203 CUP 4,881

394.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$701 CUP 16.8K

-3.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$945 CUP 22.7K

264.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$588 CUP 14.1K

246.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$336 CUP 8,053

746.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$359 CUP 8,616

530.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$54.6 CUP 1,311

202.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-11.47%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Placetas: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $203 in Placetas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 202% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $14.00 in Placetas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $206 per month, with Placetas cheaper across the board.

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 Placetas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Placetas. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Ubud, Bali pays 202% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $203 in Placetas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,564 in Placetas – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 152% less than in Placetas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,564 in Placetas, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Placetas. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,419 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Placetas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Placetas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.