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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $518 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $855 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,192 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 169% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% 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 64.2K

$3.99 LKR 1,338

-10.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 581.3K

$25.15 LKR 8,434

28.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.0K

$8.33 LKR 2,792

-39.86%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.8K

$2.67 LKR 895

5.62%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.3K

$0.68 LKR 227

98.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.40 LKR 135

82.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 52.8K

$2.29 LKR 768

27.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 70.8K

$3.37 LKR 1,130

16.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

$1.72 LKR 576

3.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

$0.53 LKR 177

362.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.82 LKR 275

40.24%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.4K

$2.15 LKR 720

12.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 257.7K

$14.34 LKR 4,807

-0.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.3K

$4.65 LKR 1,558

-9.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 216.9K

$7.87 LKR 2,638

53.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.4K

$7.44 LKR 2,495

-51.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

$1.07 LKR 360

46.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.1K

$5.72 LKR 1,916

-51.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.21 LKR 407

85.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.6K

$1.16 LKR 390

70.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.0K

$1.42 LKR 477

60.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.20 LKR 401

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.57 LKR 190

38.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.4K

$9.98 LKR 3,345

-68.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 422.5K

$12.40 LKR 4,158

89.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.1K

$2.02 LKR 677

43.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.6K

$2.96 LKR 991

-6.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,795

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 150.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,136

$0.39 LKR 129

15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,267

$0.33 LKR 109

39.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.2K

$0.57 LKR 191

964.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.19 LKR 400

-27.73%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$26.5K LKR 8.9M

0.27%

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

$32.5K Rp 585.4M

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

-8.00%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$60.6 LKR 20.3K

30.33%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.6K

$4.20 LKR 1,409

-2.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 428.9K

$15.37 LKR 5,155

55.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.1K

$3.37 LKR 1,131

18.99%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$37.12 LKR 12.4K

700.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 118.7M

$436 LKR 146.0K

1415.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 960.9K

$27.64 LKR 9,269

93.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 685.5K

$19.24 LKR 6,451

98.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

28.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$38.58 LKR 12.9K

98.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Polonnaruwa: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $25.00 in Polonnaruwa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $255 – 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 169% 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 $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $776 in Polonnaruwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,392 in Ubud, Bali and $518 in Polonnaruwa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $297 per month in Ubud, Bali and $37.12 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 $518, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. 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 $518 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 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.