Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Pohnpei

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,349 a month against $1,662 in Pohnpei, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Pohnpei, Micronesia
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,349
/mo nomad
Pohnpei
🇫🇲 Micronesia
$1,662
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Pohnpei

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Pohnpei actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,349 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,662 in Pohnpei.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,349
  • Pohnpei $1,662

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,305 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,526 in Pohnpei.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,305
  • Pohnpei $2,526

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,261 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,390 in Pohnpei.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,261
  • Pohnpei $3,390

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 19% less than in Pohnpei, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Pohnpei
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.32 Rp 60.4K
$11.42 $11.42
-70.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.64 Rp 647.8K
$45.11 $45.11
-20.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.53 Rp 100.6K
$7.55 $7.55
-26.75%
Cappuccino
$2.72 Rp 49.4K
$2.94 $2.94
-7.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 Rp 30.9K
$1.21 $1.21
40.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 Rp 13.8K
$3.90 $3.90
-80.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 48.2K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 Rp 79.6K
$2.97 $2.97
47.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Pohnpei
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 Rp 27.1K
$0.25 $0.25
496.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.28 Rp 41.4K
$3.28 $3.28
-30.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 Rp 21.6K
$2.98 $2.98
-60.07%
Eggs
$2.04 Rp 37.0K
$7.16 $7.16
-71.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.70 Rp 321.7K
$7.21 $7.21
145.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.96 Rp 72.0K
$5.02 $5.02
-21.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.19 Rp 221.6K
$11.70 $11.70
4.19%
Apples (1kg)
$3.66 Rp 66.4K
$6.04 $6.04
-39.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 Rp 27.6K
$3.55 $3.55
-57.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.5K
$5.39 $5.39
-58.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.9K
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 Rp 33.6K
$4.87 $4.87
-62.01%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 Rp 44.1K
$5.07 $5.07
-52.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 18.0K
$3.83 $3.83
-74.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 Rp 9,332
$0.98 $0.98
-47.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.22 Rp 40.4K
$8.85 $8.85
-74.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.24 Rp 404.2K
$2.98 $2.98
646.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 Rp 41.1K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 54.0K
$2.36 $2.36
25.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Pohnpei
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,562
$0.97 $0.97
-74.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.82 Rp 142.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,989
$4.91 $4.91
-91.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,817
$1.25 $1.25
-65.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 Rp 98.3K
$4.10 $4.10
31.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 Rp 15.0K
$3.64 $3.64
-77.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.8K Rp 433.3M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 577.0M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Pohnpei
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
$134 $134
-40.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 117.2K
$39.34 $39.34
-83.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.58 Rp 337.7K
$200 $200
-90.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Pohnpei
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.48 Rp 899.4K
$20.08 $20.08
146.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.65 Rp 320.8K
$50.0 $50.0
-64.71%
Cinema Ticket
$4.27 Rp 77.7K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Pohnpei
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$491 Rp 8.9M
$171 $171
186.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,674 Rp 103.1M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Pohnpei
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.64 Rp 811.4K
$80.6 $80.6
-44.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.95 Rp 635.3K
$66.9 $66.9
-47.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 Rp 1.5M
$110 $110
-27.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
$97.9 $97.9
-18.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Pohnpei
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,125 Rp 20.4M
$890 $890
26.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$671 Rp 12.2M
$625 $625
7.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,565 Rp 64.8M
$1,581 $1,581
125.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,723 Rp 31.3M
$1,203 $1,203
43.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,732 Rp 49.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,284 Rp 41.5M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Pohnpei
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$164 Rp 3.0M
$352 $352
-53.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
360000
-100.00%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Last update for Pohnpei: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$672
Pohnpei
$625 7% $47
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$288
Pohnpei
$293 * 1.7% $4.8
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$108
Pohnpei
$176 * 63.2% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
Pohnpei
$160 48.6% $52
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$104
Pohnpei
$373 259% $269
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$58
Pohnpei
$20 * 65.4% $38
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$11
Pohnpei
$15 * 32% $3.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,125 in Ubud, Bali and $890 in Pohnpei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pohnpei pays about 2.2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $36 in Ubud, Bali vs $45 in Pohnpei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $293 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇫🇲 Pohnpei
🕒 Local time
05:35 5:35 AM
08:35 8:35 AM
3 h ahead of Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
34,486
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18,175 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20,233 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Pohnpei 5,060 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Pohnpei

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Pohnpei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ubud, Bali cheaper than Pohnpei?
Ubud, Bali is about 19% cheaper overall, especially in utilities, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ubud, Bali or Pohnpei?
On paper, salaries run 53% lower in Ubud, Bali. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Ubud, Bali and Pohnpei?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,125 in Ubud, Bali versus $890 in Pohnpei. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Ubud, Bali or in Pohnpei?
Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $36 versus $45 in Pohnpei. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $491 in Ubud, Bali versus $171 in Pohnpei. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Ubud, Bali or in Pohnpei?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Ubud, Bali is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is it better to live in Ubud, Bali or in Pohnpei?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or Pohnpei?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Pohnpei are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Ubud, Bali wins on affordability, Pohnpei on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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