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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $804 in Popayan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,223 in Popayan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,642 in Popayan, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 75% more than Popayan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Popayan is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$3.82 COP 12.4K

-9.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$23.83 COP 77.6K

35.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$7.29 COP 23.7K

-33.61%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.50 COP 4,898

83.33%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.88 COP 2,866

56.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.61 COP 1,977

22.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.17 COP 3,798

155.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.21 COP 7,187

74.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.11 COP 3,602

56.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.29 COP 4,215

90.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.17 COP 3,823

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.22 COP 7,224

9.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$4.31 COP 14.0K

236.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$5.21 COP 17.0K

-16.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$7.16 COP 23.3K

67.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.52 COP 8,197

47.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.11 COP 3,622

46.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.37 COP 4,449

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$0.91 COP 2,958

146.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.12 COP 3,647

71.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.13 COP 3,684

101.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.81 COP 2,645

30.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.65 COP 2,116

10.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$2.41 COP 7,859

36.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$13.06 COP 42.5K

77.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.12 COP 3,658

148.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.74 COP 5,659

56.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.71 COP 2,325

-61.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$30.45 COP 99.1K

-73.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.47 COP 4,800

-67.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$1.65 COP 5,373

-74.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$6.19 COP 20.1K

0.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.00 COP 3,254

-19.00%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$17.6K COP 57.4M

50.94%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$25.7K COP 83.6M

25.33%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$83.9 COP 273.0K

-6.56%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$9.26 COP 30.1K

-56.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$22.35 COP 72.8K

8.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$23.29 COP 75.8K

323.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$3.87 COP 12.6K

3.10%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$241 COP 784.9K

26.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$5,914 COP 19.3M

12.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$59.8 COP 194.6K

-9.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$32.82 COP 106.8K

15.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$84.4 COP 274.7K

2.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$72.3 COP 235.4K

5.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$281 COP 914.1K

253.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$237 COP 771.0K

184.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$519 COP 1.7M

549.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$430 COP 1.4M

376.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$1,662 COP 5.4M

68.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$1,192 COP 3.9M

86.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

13.18

0.76%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Popayan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $281 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $24.00 in Popayan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $179 – making Popayan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $804 in Popayan – roughly 75% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,207 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.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Ubud, Bali and $241 in Popayan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 66% 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 $804, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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 $804 in Popayan to $1,408 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.