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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $658 in Polomolok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,045 in Polomolok, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,433 in Polomolok, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 119% more than Polomolok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Polomolok is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

$1.80 ₱110

98.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

$13.12 ₱803

148.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

$2.28 ₱140

122.37%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

$2.11 ₱129

34.12%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

$0.45 ₱27.63

197.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.53 ₱32.55

30.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

$1.12 ₱68.5

166.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

$1.64 ₱100

134.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

$1.68 ₱102

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

$1.00 ₱61.2

154.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.70 ₱42.54

70.00%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

$2.02 ₱123

20.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

$6.13 ₱375

139.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

$3.05 ₱187

37.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

$6.28 ₱384

90.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

$2.82 ₱173

30.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$0.65 ₱39.72

147.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

$2.41 ₱148

11.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

$0.90 ₱55.1

158.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

$1.31 ₱80.3

45.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

$3.23 ₱198

-32.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.86 ₱52.6

23.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.56 ₱34.30

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

$2.62 ₱161

19.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

$7.24 ₱443

224.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

$1.06 ₱64.7

158.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

$1.52 ₱92.9

89.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,010

$0.26 ₱15.78

11.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

$14.24 ₱871

-42.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,834

$0.90 ₱55.1

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,278

$0.23 ₱13.97

82.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

$2.15 ₱131

186.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

$1.03 ₱63.2

-18.45%

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

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

$17.4K ₱1.1M

50.71%

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

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

66.04%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$58.1 ₱3,554

35.00%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

$12.48 ₱763

-68.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

$29.48 ₱1,804

-17.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$33.84 ₱2,070

185.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

$4.38 ₱268

44.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

$4.50 ₱276

-10.22%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$119 ₱7,252

155.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

$1,531 ₱93.7K

326.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

$46.27 ₱2,831

16.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

$26.14 ₱1,599

45.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$71.2 ₱4,355

21.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$69.6 ₱4,257

13.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$268 ₱16.4K

277.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.6M

$177 ₱10.8K

281.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

$577 ₱35.3K

487.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

$391 ₱23.9K

436.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

$2,380 ₱145.6K

25.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

$339 ₱20.7K

590.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$244 ₱15.0K

-29.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

121.33%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Polomolok: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $268 in Polomolok. 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 41% higher in Polomolok, 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 $13.00 in Polomolok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $166 – making Polomolok 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 Polomolok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 119% more than Polomolok, 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 $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $986 in Polomolok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 74% less in Polomolok. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Ubud, Bali and $119 in Polomolok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polomolok, where all-in costs run around $658, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In Polomolok 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. Polomolok costs $658 versus $1,438 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 Polomolok. 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.