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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $666 in Pontianak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,038 in Pontianak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,409 in Pontianak.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 116% more expensive than Pontianak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Pontianak is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$1.49 Rp 25.9K

139.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$12.48 Rp 216.3K

161.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$3.16 Rp 54.8K

60.44%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$1.73 Rp 29.9K

63.58%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.55 Rp 9,476

143.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.26 Rp 4,460

165.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$3.11 Rp 53.9K

-3.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.40 Rp 41.6K

60.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.23 Rp 21.2K

41.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.14 Rp 19.7K

122.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.92 Rp 16.0K

29.35%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.58 Rp 27.4K

53.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$8.05 Rp 139.5K

82.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$3.24 Rp 56.1K

29.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$7.94 Rp 137.6K

50.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.36 Rp 41.0K

56.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

6.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.86 Rp 32.2K

44.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.50 Rp 26.1K

55.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.36 Rp 23.6K

40.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.88 Rp 32.6K

16.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.90 Rp 15.6K

17.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.42 Rp 7,272

71.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$1.83 Rp 31.7K

71.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$22.33 Rp 387.1K

5.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.11 Rp 36.6K

29.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$3.09 Rp 53.5K

-6.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.30 Rp 5,168

-3.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$9.68 Rp 167.7K

-15.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.53 Rp 9,206

-15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.34 Rp 5,944

23.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$2.95 Rp 51.1K

108.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$24.5K Rp 424.0M

7.28%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$27.1K Rp 470.1M

19.76%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$69.5 Rp 1.2M

12.88%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$4.26 Rp 73.8K

-7.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$22.38 Rp 387.8K

9.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$22.87 Rp 396.4K

322.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$6.18 Rp 107.1K

2.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$3.01 Rp 52.3K

34.22%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$92.0 Rp 1.6M

228.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$7,626 Rp 132.2M

-14.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$40.97 Rp 710.2K

31.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$30.91 Rp 535.7K

22.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$66.1 Rp 1.1M

31.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$75.0 Rp 1.3M

5.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$255 Rp 4.4M

296.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$155 Rp 2.7M

336.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$596 Rp 10.3M

468.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$331 Rp 5.7M

532.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$1,116 Rp 19.3M

167.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$828 Rp 14.3M

182.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$355 Rp 6.1M

-51.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.15

45.14%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Pontianak: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $255 in Pontianak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pontianak pays 105% 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 $12.00 in Pontianak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $212 per month, with Pontianak 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 Pontianak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pontianak is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Pontianak earns 105% 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $255 in Pontianak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $666 in Pontianak – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pontianak runs roughly 18% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $666 in Pontianak versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pontianak but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Pontianak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Pontianak is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Pontianak 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 Pontianak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.