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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $662 in Pontianak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,014 in Pontianak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,367 in Pontianak.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 110% more expensive than in Pontianak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Pontianak is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

138.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$12.25 Rp 221.2K

163.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$3.26 Rp 58.8K

53.68%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$1.71 Rp 30.8K

64.91%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.55 Rp 9,891

145.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.26 Rp 4,653

180.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$3.11 Rp 56.1K

-5.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.50 Rp 45.2K

57.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

50.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.18 Rp 21.3K

107.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.95 Rp 17.1K

21.05%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

58.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$8.23 Rp 148.6K

74.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$3.25 Rp 58.7K

28.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$8.05 Rp 145.4K

49.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

57.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.43 Rp 25.8K

9.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.81 Rp 32.7K

54.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.49 Rp 26.9K

50.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.39 Rp 25.1K

42.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.97 Rp 35.6K

15.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.95 Rp 17.2K

10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.45 Rp 8,054

75.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$1.82 Rp 32.9K

75.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$20.24 Rp 365.4K

16.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.05 Rp 37.1K

41.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

-11.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.32 Rp 5,856

-15.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$10.00 Rp 180.6K

-16.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$0.54 Rp 9,713

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.37 Rp 6,712

24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$2.85 Rp 51.5K

112.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.78 Rp 14.1K

10.26%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$24.6K Rp 445.0M

7.86%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$28.2K Rp 508.9M

15.46%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$69.9 Rp 1.3M

13.11%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$4.27 Rp 77.1K

-4.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$22.46 Rp 405.6K

6.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$23.15 Rp 417.9K

326.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$6.12 Rp 110.5K

3.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$3.12 Rp 56.3K

28.53%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$91.6 Rp 1.7M

224.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$7,664 Rp 138.4M

-13.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$41.87 Rp 755.9K

27.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$31.00 Rp 559.6K

22.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$67.2 Rp 1.2M

31.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$74.9 Rp 1.4M

2.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$259 Rp 4.7M

294.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$157 Rp 2.8M

332.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$585 Rp 10.6M

492.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$339 Rp 6.1M

516.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$1,049 Rp 18.9M

160.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$644 Rp 11.6M

256.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$336 Rp 6.1M

-51.26%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Pontianak: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $259 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: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $12.00 in Pontianak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $208 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 110% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 105% 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $259 in Pontianak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $662 in Pontianak – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pontianak runs roughly 19% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $662 in Pontianak versus $1,392 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 110% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.