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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,311 in Popayan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,104 in Popayan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,896 in Popayan, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 4% more than Popayan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Popayan is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$7.42 COP 23.1K

-53.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$46.79 COP 146.0K

-22.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$9.41 COP 29.3K

-39.32%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.43 COP 7,580

9.88%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.52 COP 4,731

15.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.98 COP 3,069

-11.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.65 COP 8,267

11.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$4.33 COP 13.5K

4.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.33 COP 4,160

21.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.51 COP 7,845

-7.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.57 COP 4,887

-29.30%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.82 COP 8,807

-21.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$8.85 COP 27.6K

99.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$10.82 COP 33.8K

-62.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$12.63 COP 39.4K

-3.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$3.22 COP 10.1K

15.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.65 COP 5,136

-3.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.79 COP 5,590

27.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.66 COP 5,177

17.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.69 COP 5,286

13.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.48 COP 4,621

57.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.28 COP 3,986

-21.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$1.09 COP 3,409

-49.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$3.65 COP 11.4K

-38.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$13.67 COP 42.6K

68.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.36 COP 4,249

77.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.62 COP 8,184

14.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$1.18 COP 3,668

-77.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.49 COP 4,644

-67.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$2.24 COP 6,989

-80.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$8.46 COP 26.4K

-33.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.38 COP 4,294

-42.03%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$25.1K COP 78.3M

-0.64%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$33.9K COP 105.8M

-6.43%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$115 COP 357.4K

-28.88%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$14.07 COP 43.9K

-53.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$25.98 COP 81.1K

-27.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$38.08 COP 118.8K

49.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$7.53 COP 23.5K

-39.71%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$628 COP 2.0M

-23.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$7,376 COP 23.0M

-22.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$84.2 COP 262.7K

-45.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$51.2 COP 159.8K

-29.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$136 COP 423.4K

-40.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$116 COP 362.2K

-32.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$763 COP 2.4M

46.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$544 COP 1.7M

28.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$920 COP 2.9M

295.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$984 COP 3.1M

76.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$2,286 COP 7.1M

21.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$1,938 COP 6.0M

18.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.58

19.00%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Popayan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $763 in Popayan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $47.00 in Popayan. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Ubud, Bali vs $282 in Popayan – so Popayan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Popayan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, $1,311 in Popayan – roughly 4% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,967 in Popayan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Popayan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $47.00 in Popayan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Popayan, where all-in costs run around $1,311, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In Popayan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,311 in Popayan to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Popayan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.