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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $380 in Pondicherry.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $576 in Pondicherry.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $773 in Pondicherry.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 262% more expensive than in Pondicherry, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Pondicherry is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.15 ₹301

5.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$8.49 ₹811

321.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$3.75 ₹359

50.13%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$1.93 ₹184

46.11%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.39 ₹37.71

348.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.16 ₹15.39

400.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.12 ₹107

171.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$1.96 ₹187

119.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$0.48 ₹45.88

235.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.37 ₹34.95

513.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$0.70 ₹67.3

67.14%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$0.81 ₹77.4

167.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$4.50 ₹430

291.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$2.69 ₹257

50.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$1.76 ₹169

105.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$0.72 ₹69.0

127.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.23 ₹117

87.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$0.40 ₹38.02

390.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.38 ₹36.50

384.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.37 ₹34.97

540.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.33 ₹31.84

218.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.33 ₹31.92

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$4.59 ₹439

-49.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$8.08 ₹772

185.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.37 ₹131

70.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.66 ₹158

84.94%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.12 ₹489

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.15 ₹14.70

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$8.42 ₹805

11.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.07 ₹102

-54.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.17 ₹16.35

176.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$2.12 ₹203

164.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.05 ₹101

-22.86%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$11.0K ₹1.0M

128.32%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$18.8K ₹1.8M

64.94%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$29.84 ₹2,851

177.21%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$3.36 ₹321

93.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$6.44 ₹615

191.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$7.84 ₹749

604.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$1.75 ₹167

145.71%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$37.27 ₹3,561

1225.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$1,403 ₹134.0K

321.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$25.15 ₹2,403

84.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$20.87 ₹1,994

74.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$52.3 ₹4,993

54.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$37.41 ₹3,574

110.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$216 ₹20.6K

415.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$83.7 ₹7,997

728.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$213 ₹20.3K

1609.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$160 ₹15.3K

967.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$971 ₹92.8K

184.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$348 ₹33.3K

558.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$297 ₹28.4K

-43.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.52

61.74%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Pondicherry: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $216 in Pondicherry. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pondicherry pays 78% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $8.00 in Pondicherry for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $95.0 per month, with Pondicherry cheaper across the board.

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 Pondicherry: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Pondicherry differ by about 262% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $380 including rent). Pondicherry is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 78% lower in Pondicherry. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $216 in Pondicherry. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $380 in Pondicherry – a 262% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pondicherry runs roughly 12% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $380 in Pondicherry versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pondicherry but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Pondicherry the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Pondicherry are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Pondicherry gentler on the wallet – expenses run 262% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.