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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $386 in Pondicherry.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $572 in Pondicherry.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $759 in Pondicherry.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 268% more expensive than Pondicherry, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Pondicherry is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$1.76 ₹168

102.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$9.51 ₹910

244.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$4.11 ₹393

20.44%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$1.76 ₹168

53.98%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.40 ₹38.09

235.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.16 ₹15.14

337.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$1.02 ₹97.9

186.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$1.91 ₹183

107.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$0.51 ₹48.44

254.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$0.43 ₹41.01

486.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$0.77 ₹74.1

50.65%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$0.89 ₹84.8

176.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$4.13 ₹396

256.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$2.83 ₹271

52.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$1.92 ₹184

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$0.86 ₹82.1

81.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$1.39 ₹133

103.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$0.51 ₹48.43

356.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$0.31 ₹30.13

516.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$0.44 ₹41.77

400.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$0.34 ₹32.28

197.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.36 ₹34.71

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$3.97 ₹380

-16.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$9.20 ₹881

158.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.34 ₹128

108.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.47 ₹237

15.79%

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

$6.82 ₹653

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.19 ₹17.74

42.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$9.14 ₹874

-12.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$0.99 ₹94.7

-53.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$1.16 ₹111

425.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.16 ₹111

-31.90%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$13.0K ₹1.2M

101.72%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$22.9K ₹2.2M

40.49%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$31.03 ₹2,970

157.62%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$3.84 ₹367

5.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$7.36 ₹704

219.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$8.07 ₹772

1123.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$4.00 ₹382

65.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$2.04 ₹195

103.43%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$41.51 ₹3,973

632.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$1,500 ₹143.5K

340.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$24.04 ₹2,300

131.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$26.38 ₹2,524

45.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$48.58 ₹4,649

82.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$35.80 ₹3,426

117.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$236 ₹22.6K

327.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$92.1 ₹8,812

633.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$241 ₹23.1K

1328.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$153 ₹14.6K

1234.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$985 ₹94.2K

188.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$335 ₹32.0K

576.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$294 ₹28.2K

-43.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

8.25

60.97%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Pondicherry: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $236 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: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $10.00 in Pondicherry for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $103 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 268% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $386 including rent). Pondicherry is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Pondicherry earns 78% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $236 in Pondicherry. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $386 in Pondicherry – a 268% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pondicherry runs roughly 14% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $386 in Pondicherry versus $1,419 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 268% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.