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 $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $500 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $830 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,161 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 174% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Polonnaruwa is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$4.29 LKR 1,418

-19.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

$25.83 LKR 8,542

40.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$7.83 LKR 2,588

-27.08%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.47 LKR 816

8.10%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.73 LKR 241

139.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.25 LKR 82.6

248.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$2.19 LKR 724

34.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$3.10 LKR 1,024

45.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.56 LKR 516

3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.53 LKR 175

339.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.81 LKR 267

37.04%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.64 LKR 543

34.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

$13.05 LKR 4,315

35.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$5.12 LKR 1,694

-19.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$7.39 LKR 2,444

64.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$6.87 LKR 2,270

-46.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$0.88 LKR 292

80.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$4.20 LKR 1,389

-45.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.24 LKR 411

57.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.01 LKR 335

89.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$0.76 LKR 252

206.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.93 LKR 308

8.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,791

$0.48 LKR 160

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$10.43 LKR 3,447

-78.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

$13.76 LKR 4,550

67.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.91 LKR 630

26.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$2.83 LKR 937

6.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,582

$0.41 LKR 137

17.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,693

$0.38 LKR 126

13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$0.92 LKR 305

513.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.28 LKR 423

-37.50%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

$31.1K LKR 10.3M

-19.70%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

$41.9K LKR 13.9M

-24.40%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$54.5 LKR 18.0K

49.36%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$4.09 LKR 1,351

58.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

$21.14 LKR 6,990

-11.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$4.55 LKR 1,505

-0.22%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$38.55 LKR 12.7K

1146.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$1,217 LKR 402.5K

369.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

$20.29 LKR 6,710

124.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

$16.85 LKR 5,570

112.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$80.0 LKR 26.5K

0.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$41.76 LKR 13.8K

88.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

12.69

8.59%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Polonnaruwa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $26.00 in Polonnaruwa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $237 – 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 174% more than Polonnaruwa, 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 $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $750 in Polonnaruwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $500 in Polonnaruwa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $481 per month in Ubud, Bali and $38.55 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 $500, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. 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 $500 versus $1,368 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.