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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,580 in Placetas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,896 in Placetas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,212 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 5% above, Placetas 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$15.07 CUP 362

-77.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$13.51 CUP 324

139.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$7.08 CUP 170

-31.64%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$3.04 CUP 72.9

-9.54%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$3.15 CUP 75.7

-56.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$1.86 CUP 44.70

-59.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$5.07 CUP 122

-41.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$2.95 CUP 70.9

30.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.96 CUP 46.94

-11.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.01 CUP 48.32

22.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.97 CUP 23.36

20.62%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$1.19 CUP 28.55

104.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$7.64 CUP 183

89.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$2.99 CUP 71.7

45.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$12.24 CUP 294

-2.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$1.87 CUP 44.84

98.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.07 CUP 25.75

52.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$1.68 CUP 40.26

63.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$1.08 CUP 25.82

107.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$0.99 CUP 23.68

93.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$1.02 CUP 24.43

123.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.02 CUP 24.42

3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$1.03 CUP 24.67

-30.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$3.07 CUP 73.6

7.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$9.86 CUP 237

135.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$2.06 CUP 49.34

34.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$3.04 CUP 73.0

-10.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.17 CUP 4.09

58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$20.23 CUP 485

-59.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$4.97 CUP 119

-90.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$0.39 CUP 9.27

7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$14.97 CUP 359

-58.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.23 CUP 29.49

-34.15%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$77.5K CUP 1.9M

-65.67%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$68.8K CUP 1.7M

-53.21%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$34.92 CUP 838

124.37%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$14.82 CUP 356

-72.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$221 CUP 5,315

-89.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$39.62 CUP 951

148.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$9.83 CUP 236

-35.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$0.97 CUP 23.33

311.34%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$118 CUP 2,844

157.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$10.9K CUP 260.9K

-38.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$44.12 CUP 1,059

22.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$30.56 CUP 733

23.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$49.54 CUP 1,189

75.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$65.7 CUP 1,577

16.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$197 CUP 4,720

404.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$707 CUP 17.0K

-4.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$942 CUP 22.6K

258.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$599 CUP 14.4K

242.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$335 CUP 8,051

736.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$364 CUP 8,745

511.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$54.4 CUP 1,306

206.80%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Placetas: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $197 in Placetas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 207% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $14.00 in Placetas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $208 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 12% 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 207% 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $197 in Placetas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,580 in Placetas – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 149% less than in Placetas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,580 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 $1,408 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 12% less than in Placetas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.