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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,544 in Placetas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,896 in Placetas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,247 in Placetas.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 11% less than in Placetas, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, Placetas 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$14.77 CUP 354

-76.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

$13.25 CUP 318

174.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$6.82 CUP 164

-16.28%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$3.07 CUP 73.7

-13.03%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$3.14 CUP 75.5

-44.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$1.79 CUP 43.04

-51.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$5.06 CUP 122

-41.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$6.86 CUP 165

-34.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.03 CUP 48.83

-20.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.99 CUP 47.75

17.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.97 CUP 23.39

14.43%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.23 CUP 29.43

78.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

$7.56 CUP 181

133.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$2.99 CUP 71.7

37.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$12.24 CUP 294

-0.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$1.82 CUP 43.59

103.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.11 CUP 26.73

43.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$1.75 CUP 41.99

30.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.08 CUP 25.86

80.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.01 CUP 24.27

89.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.01 CUP 24.29

130.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$1.01 CUP 24.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,791

$1.02 CUP 24.52

-46.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$3.09 CUP 74.1

-27.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

$10.12 CUP 243

127.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$2.05 CUP 49.20

18.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$3.08 CUP 73.9

-2.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

$0.22 CUP 5.32

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

$19.90 CUP 478

-54.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,582

$4.99 CUP 120

-90.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,693

$0.42 CUP 10.02

2.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$15.16 CUP 364

-62.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.28 CUP 30.61

-37.50%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

$77.6K CUP 1.9M

-67.86%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

$68.9K CUP 1.7M

-54.01%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$34.46 CUP 827

136.39%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$14.72 CUP 353

-55.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

$221 CUP 5,306

-91.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$39.68 CUP 952

43.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

$9.85 CUP 236

90.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$0.99 CUP 23.67

358.59%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$122 CUP 2,924

294.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$10.9K CUP 262.0K

-47.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

$44.82 CUP 1,076

1.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

$30.17 CUP 724

18.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$50.6 CUP 1,214

58.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$65.5 CUP 1,572

20.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$203 CUP 4,877

448.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$698 CUP 16.8K

-0.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$939 CUP 22.5K

287.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$603 CUP 14.5K

188.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$334 CUP 8,010

734.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$367 CUP 8,807

523.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$53.1 CUP 1,274

216.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-8.13%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Placetas: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $203 in Placetas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 216% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $13.00 in Placetas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $210 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 13% 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.

Average pay runs 216% higher in Ubud, Bali, 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: $1,115 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 $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,544 in Placetas – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 122% less than in Placetas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,544 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 $1,368 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 13% less than in Placetas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.