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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $992 in Polokwane, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,461 in Polokwane, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,931 in Polokwane, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 41% more than Polokwane, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Polokwane is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

$12.44 R 199

-72.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

$31.20 R 499

23.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

$7.38 R 118

-25.20%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

$2.47 R 39.50

6.88%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$0.98 R 15.75

70.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.97 R 15.50

-20.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

$1.77 R 28.31

48.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$2.13 R 34.10

100.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.37 R 21.94

13.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$1.19 R 18.97

86.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

$1.80 R 28.86

-37.22%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

$2.62 R 41.85

-20.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

$7.70 R 123

125.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

$4.11 R 65.7

-5.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

$6.09 R 97.5

106.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

$2.10 R 33.56

72.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$1.95 R 31.17

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

$1.82 R 29.10

29.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$2.03 R 32.51

1.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

$1.75 R 28.00

8.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

$1.61 R 25.70

45.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$1.15 R 18.39

-10.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,809

$0.82 R 13.11

-32.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$2.72 R 43.55

-17.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

$4.80 R 76.8

396.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$1.24 R 19.78

86.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

$1.63 R 26.12

71.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$0.89 R 14.24

-69.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

$31.55 R 505

-72.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,515

$0.90 R 14.44

-46.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,887

$0.90 R 14.32

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

$14.78 R 236

-61.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.42 R 22.73

-46.48%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

$26.1K R 418.1K

-6.35%

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

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

$29.3K R 468.5K

9.66%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$138 R 2,214

-39.65%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

$39.69 R 635

-83.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

$34.33 R 549

-44.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

$23.26 R 372

140.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$8.30 R 133

-48.43%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$185 R 2,957

163.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

$1,482 R 23.7K

295.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

$47.04 R 752

-3.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

$37.70 R 603

-3.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$82.3 R 1,316

-0.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$96.6 R 1,545

-16.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$297 R 4,745

276.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$211 R 3,371

232.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

$438 R 7,001

707.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

$289 R 4,617

510.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$1,546 R 24.7K

-89.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

10.91

26.31%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Polokwane: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $297 in Polokwane. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 811% higher in Polokwane, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $31.00 in Polokwane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $187 – making Polokwane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Polokwane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 41% more than Polokwane, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,488 in Polokwane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Polokwane, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $487 per month in Ubud, Bali and $185 in Polokwane. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polokwane, where all-in costs run around $992, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. In Polokwane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Polokwane costs $992 versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Polokwane. 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.