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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $662 in Polomolok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,046 in Polomolok, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,430 in Polomolok, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 110% more than Polomolok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Polomolok is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.2K

$1.76 ₱107

102.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 581.3K

$13.24 ₱806

144.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.0K

$2.32 ₱142

115.95%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.8K

$2.13 ₱130

32.39%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.3K

$0.43 ₱25.88

213.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.52 ₱31.84

40.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 52.8K

$1.13 ₱69.1

159.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 70.8K

$1.64 ₱100

140.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

$1.74 ₱106

2.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

$0.99 ₱60.3

147.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.72 ₱43.98

59.72%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.4K

$2.04 ₱124

18.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 257.7K

$6.09 ₱371

135.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.3K

$2.95 ₱179

42.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 216.9K

$6.10 ₱371

97.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.4K

$2.78 ₱169

30.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

$0.61 ₱36.98

157.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.1K

$2.31 ₱141

20.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$0.90 ₱54.9

148.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.6K

$1.29 ₱78.8

53.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.0K

$3.24 ₱197

-29.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.93 ₱56.8

12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.60 ₱36.34

31.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.4K

$2.73 ₱166

16.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 422.5K

$7.15 ₱435

228.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.1K

$1.05 ₱63.8

176.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.6K

$1.49 ₱90.5

85.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,795

$0.26 ₱15.81

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 150.5K

$14.39 ₱876

-41.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,136

$0.91 ₱55.6

-50.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,267

$0.25 ₱15.32

84.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.2K

$2.09 ₱127

190.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.95 ₱58.1

-9.47%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$18.1K ₱1.1M

47.12%

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

$32.5K Rp 585.4M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

65.33%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$57.8 ₱3,521

36.64%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.6K

$12.54 ₱764

-67.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 428.9K

$29.43 ₱1,792

-18.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$33.85 ₱2,061

191.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.3K

$4.36 ₱265

45.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.1K

$4.56 ₱278

-12.06%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$120 ₱7,335

146.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 118.7M

$1,499 ₱91.3K

340.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 960.9K

$45.50 ₱2,770

17.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 685.5K

$26.69 ₱1,625

42.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$71.1 ₱4,327

24.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$69.0 ₱4,203

11.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.3M

$266 ₱16.2K

283.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.2M

$173 ₱10.6K

292.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.4M

$598 ₱36.4K

479.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.6M

$396 ₱24.1K

427.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.1M

$2,374 ₱144.6K

14.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.3M

$971 ₱59.1K

136.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 2.9M

$244 ₱14.9K

-33.05%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Polomolok: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $266 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 49% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $13.00 in Polomolok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $165 – 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 110% 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 $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $993 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 72% less in Polomolok. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $297 per month in Ubud, Bali and $120 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 $662, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. 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 $662 versus $1,392 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.