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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $820 in Polokwane, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,289 in Polokwane, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,757 in Polokwane, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 73% more than Polokwane, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Polokwane is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$9.87 R 160

-63.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$42.61 R 692

-23.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$4.73 R 76.9

4.65%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.17 R 35.33

24.88%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.81 R 13.14

65.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.80 R 13.06

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$1.69 R 27.52

72.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$2.02 R 32.78

96.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.19 R 19.34

52.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.95 R 15.51

165.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.72 R 27.89

-32.56%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.47 R 40.13

-0.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$7.11 R 116

106.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$3.26 R 52.9

32.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$5.73 R 93.1

111.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$1.63 R 26.55

135.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.52 R 24.78

2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.52 R 24.76

86.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.66 R 26.97

40.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.45 R 23.54

31.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.23 R 19.97

78.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.05 R 17.06

-3.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.71 R 11.59

9.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$2.62 R 42.66

26.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$4.76 R 77.3

398.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.07 R 17.41

160.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$1.24 R 20.12

130.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$3.19 R 51.9

-91.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$0.88 R 14.30

-47.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.94 R 15.34

-52.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$4.02 R 65.3

51.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.21 R 19.59

-34.71%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$13.7K R 223.1K

90.45%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$22.6K R 366.5K

42.43%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$119 R 1,928

-32.62%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$39.74 R 646

-89.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$37.33 R 607

-36.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$22.36 R 363

341.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$7.09 R 115

-41.47%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$169 R 2,751

79.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$1,354 R 22.0K

388.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$33.90 R 551

63.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$33.31 R 541

15.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$75.7 R 1,229

17.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$79.8 R 1,296

-2.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$249 R 4,041

304.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$176 R 2,864

283.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$383 R 6,228

798.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$275 R 4,474

640.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,529 R 24.9K

-89.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.51

15.38%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Polokwane: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $249 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 826% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $43.00 in Polokwane. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Ubud, Bali vs $162 in Polokwane – so Polokwane wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 73% 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 $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,230 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $43.00 in Polokwane. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 87% 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 $820, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. 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 $820 versus $1,419 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.