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 $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $522 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $863 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,204 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 176% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Polonnaruwa is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

$3.95 LKR 1,259

-9.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

$25.04 LKR 7,979

30.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

$8.26 LKR 2,633

-38.62%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

$2.62 LKR 833

8.02%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

$0.68 LKR 216

97.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.37 LKR 118

86.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

$2.29 LKR 730

30.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

$3.30 LKR 1,052

16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

$1.72 LKR 547

1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

$0.56 LKR 178

353.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.81 LKR 257

46.91%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

$2.18 LKR 696

11.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

$13.95 LKR 4,444

5.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

$4.53 LKR 1,445

-7.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

$7.83 LKR 2,495

52.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

$7.55 LKR 2,405

-51.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.08 LKR 343

49.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

$5.95 LKR 1,895

-54.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

$1.24 LKR 396

87.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

$1.14 LKR 364

67.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

$1.36 LKR 432

61.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.16 LKR 370

-8.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.60 LKR 192

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

$9.98 LKR 3,180

-68.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

$12.50 LKR 3,984

87.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

$2.06 LKR 657

33.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

$2.85 LKR 908

1.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,010

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,834

$0.39 LKR 124

15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,278

$0.33 LKR 104

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

$0.60 LKR 192

926.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

$1.24 LKR 395

-32.26%

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

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

$26.9K LKR 8.6M

-2.56%

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

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

$35.2K LKR 11.2M

-7.60%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$59.5 LKR 19.0K

31.80%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

$4.42 LKR 1,408

-10.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

$15.08 LKR 4,804

61.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

$3.38 LKR 1,077

19.53%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$36.48 LKR 11.6K

729.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

$436 LKR 138.8K

1397.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

$27.88 LKR 8,884

93.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

$19.48 LKR 6,208

94.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$68.7 LKR 21.9K

26.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$38.46 LKR 12.3K

105.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Polonnaruwa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $25.00 in Polonnaruwa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $256 – 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 176% 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 $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $783 in Polonnaruwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $522 in Polonnaruwa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Ubud, Bali and $36.48 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 $522, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. 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 $522 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 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.