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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $538 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $857 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,176 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 161% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Polonnaruwa is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$4.00 LKR 1,333

-10.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$25.54 LKR 8,518

27.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$8.60 LKR 2,870

-43.49%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.74 LKR 913

0.36%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.73 LKR 242

80.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.40 LKR 134

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.29 LKR 763

27.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.39 LKR 1,130

11.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.79 LKR 597

-4.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.53 LKR 176

366.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$0.85 LKR 285

41.18%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.19 LKR 732

11.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$13.94 LKR 4,650

3.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$4.65 LKR 1,550

-7.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$8.10 LKR 2,702

50.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$7.54 LKR 2,514

-51.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.06 LKR 354

46.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$5.95 LKR 1,985

-53.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.24 LKR 415

87.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.16 LKR 387

69.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.42 LKR 474

62.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.15 LKR 382

-7.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.57 LKR 190

28.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$10.23 LKR 3,411

-67.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$12.46 LKR 4,156

82.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$2.08 LKR 694

35.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.88 LKR 961

-3.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.38 LKR 128

18.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.32 LKR 108

40.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$0.57 LKR 190

994.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.26 LKR 421

-32.54%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

-4.10%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

-7.49%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$59.4 LKR 19.8K

35.99%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$4.43 LKR 1,479

-8.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$15.22 LKR 5,077

60.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$3.40 LKR 1,134

18.82%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

715.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$442 LKR 147.3K

1399.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$27.70 LKR 9,239

95.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$19.51 LKR 6,508

98.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$70.2 LKR 23.4K

22.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$38.00 LKR 12.7K

101.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

16.45

-19.27%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Polonnaruwa: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $26.00 in Polonnaruwa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $258 – making Polonnaruwa 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 Polonnaruwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 161% more than Polonnaruwa, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $807 in Polonnaruwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,404 in Ubud, Bali and $538 in Polonnaruwa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $37.28 in Polonnaruwa. 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 Polonnaruwa, where all-in costs run around $538, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. In Polonnaruwa 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. Polonnaruwa costs $538 versus $1,404 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 Polonnaruwa. 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.