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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $485 in Pontianak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $602 in Pontianak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $719 in Pontianak.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 182% more expensive than in Pontianak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Pontianak is 65% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$1.69 Rp 30.0K

103.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

$8.41 Rp 149.3K

331.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

$3.05 Rp 54.1K

87.21%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$1.20 Rp 21.3K

122.50%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$0.47 Rp 8,314

272.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.22 Rp 3,891

295.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$2.87 Rp 51.0K

2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$3.73 Rp 66.3K

21.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

45.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.43 Rp 25.5K

62.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$0.93 Rp 16.5K

19.35%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$1.51 Rp 26.9K

45.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$3.33 Rp 59.0K

23.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$3.07 Rp 54.5K

20.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.93 Rp 34.2K

-17.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

-1.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,795

$0.50 Rp 8,793

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

-21.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

$22.54 Rp 400.1K

2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.78 Rp 31.5K

35.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$2.17 Rp 38.5K

38.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

$0.29 Rp 5,175

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,586

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,697

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$0.75 Rp 13.2K

6.67%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

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

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

13.60%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$5.52 Rp 98.0K

17.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

$22.67 Rp 402.3K

-17.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$24.36 Rp 432.4K

133.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

$12.07 Rp 214.2K

55.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$3.72 Rp 66.0K

22.04%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

$33.65 Rp 597.2K

35.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

$34.35 Rp 609.7K

4.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$172 Rp 3.1M

546.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$112 Rp 2.0M

522.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$270 Rp 4.8M

-37.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

37.80%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pontianak: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $172 in Pontianak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pontianak pays 61% 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 Pontianak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $152 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 182% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 61% lower in Pontianak. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $172 in Pontianak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Pontianak – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $485 in Pontianak versus $1,368 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 182% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.