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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $383 in Pondicherry.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $568 in Pondicherry.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $754 in Pondicherry.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Pondicherry is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$1.72 ₹165

100.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$9.53 ₹917

239.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$4.00 ₹385

21.00%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$1.73 ₹167

58.96%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.39 ₹37.96

253.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.14 ₹13.75

435.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$1.07 ₹103

179.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$1.95 ₹187

97.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$0.55 ₹52.7

216.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$0.47 ₹45.33

423.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.71 ₹68.8

64.79%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$0.82 ₹79.0

196.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$3.96 ₹381

266.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$2.86 ₹275

52.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$1.96 ₹188

89.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$0.80 ₹76.6

103.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$1.34 ₹129

104.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$0.51 ₹48.64

339.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$0.31 ₹30.24

519.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$0.43 ₹41.58

430.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.34 ₹32.28

211.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.36 ₹35.11

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$3.89 ₹375

-15.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$8.16 ₹786

184.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$1.34 ₹129

107.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$2.60 ₹251

5.00%

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

$6.69 ₹644

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.19 ₹18.32

42.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$9.42 ₹907

-13.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$0.93 ₹89.3

-48.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$1.16 ₹112

436.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.19 ₹115

-31.93%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$12.9K ₹1.2M

106.82%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$22.3K ₹2.1M

44.28%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$31.36 ₹3,019

149.84%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$3.89 ₹374

4.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$7.41 ₹713

228.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$8.03 ₹773

1128.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$4.02 ₹387

57.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$2.04 ₹196

95.59%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$41.38 ₹3,984

637.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$1,529 ₹147.2K

334.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$23.79 ₹2,291

127.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$25.78 ₹2,482

46.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$48.56 ₹4,675

78.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$36.26 ₹3,490

110.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$238 ₹22.9K

317.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$92.9 ₹8,942

624.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$233 ₹22.4K

1349.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$154 ₹14.9K

1227.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$965 ₹92.9K

190.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$342 ₹32.9K

551.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$287 ₹27.7K

-41.92%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Pondicherry: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $238 in Pondicherry. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pondicherry pays 72% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $10.00 in Pondicherry for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $101 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 ($1,408 vs $383 including rent). Pondicherry is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 72% 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $238 in Pondicherry. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $383 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 16% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $383 in Pondicherry versus $1,408 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.