Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Port Vila

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,368 a month against $3,148 in Port Vila, rent and utilities included – about $21,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,368
/mo nomad
Port Vila
🇻🇺 Vanuatu
$3,148
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Port Vila

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Port Vila actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,148 in Port Vila, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,368
  • Port Vila $3,148

A couple spends around $2,314 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $4,290 in Port Vila, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,314
  • Port Vila $4,290

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $5,432 in Port Vila, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,260
  • Port Vila $5,432

Ubud, Bali is about 57% cheaper than Port Vila, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Ubud, Bali and Port Vila sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 1%, Port Vila by 133%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Port Vila
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.33 Rp 59.9K
$12.57 VUV 1,474
-73.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.18 Rp 633.2K
$55.9 VUV 6,558
-37.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.80 Rp 104.5K
$14.47 VUV 1,697
-59.92%
Cappuccino
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
$3.99 VUV 468
-31.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 Rp 29.5K
$2.30 VUV 270
-28.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
$2.35 VUV 276
-64.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.70 Rp 48.6K
$5.14 VUV 603
-47.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.30 Rp 77.4K
$7.16 VUV 839
-39.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Port Vila
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 Rp 27.1K
$2.73 VUV 320
-45.05%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 Rp 41.4K
$1.97 VUV 231
16.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$3.63 VUV 426
-67.49%
Eggs
$2.14 Rp 38.6K
$6.30 VUV 739
-66.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.48 Rp 314.6K
$17.57 VUV 2,061
-0.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.03 Rp 72.5K
$16.60 VUV 1,947
-75.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.23 Rp 220.1K
$13.68 VUV 1,604
-10.60%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 Rp 63.9K
$7.13 VUV 837
-50.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$2.15 VUV 252
-26.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.2K
$3.86 VUV 453
-41.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.93 Rp 34.7K
$9.44 VUV 1,107
-79.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.88 Rp 33.9K
$9.13 VUV 1,071
-79.41%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 Rp 41.3K
$3.47 VUV 407
-34.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 17.9K
$2.58 VUV 303
-61.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,475
$1.20 VUV 140
-55.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
$9.06 VUV 1,063
-74.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.01 Rp 414.2K
$12.51 VUV 1,467
83.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 Rp 42.2K
$2.45 VUV 287
-4.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 Rp 52.4K
$2.70 VUV 316
7.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Port Vila
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 Rp 4,315
$1.29 VUV 151
-81.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.82 Rp 158.7K
$68.6 VUV 8,052
-87.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,684
$2.57 VUV 302
-81.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 Rp 8,233
$0.88 VUV 103
-47.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 Rp 98.2K
$5.19 VUV 609
5.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
$1.76 VUV 206
-50.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K Rp 442.2M
$22.8K VUV 2.7M
7.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K Rp 561.4M
$37.9K VUV 4.5M
-17.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Port Vila
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
$636 VUV 74.6K
-86.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 116.0K
$22.30 VUV 2,615
-71.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.57 Rp 334.2K
$362 VUV 42.4K
-94.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Port Vila
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.8 Rp 1.0M
$67.7 VUV 7,936
-17.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.11 Rp 326.0K
$16.93 VUV 1,986
6.97%
Cinema Ticket
$4.38 Rp 78.9K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Port Vila
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
$631 VUV 74.0K
-21.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,754 Rp 103.6M
$6,973 VUV 818.0K
-17.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Port Vila
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.19 Rp 831.4K
$41.45 VUV 4,862
11.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.33 Rp 636.0K
$67.0 VUV 7,856
-47.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
$86.0 VUV 10.1K
-8.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$102 VUV 12.0K
-23.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Port Vila
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,142 Rp 20.6M
$1,549 VUV 181.7K
-26.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$676 Rp 12.2M
$1,120 VUV 131.3K
-39.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,503 Rp 63.1M
$3,413 VUV 400.3K
2.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,700 Rp 30.6M
$1,886 VUV 221.3K
-9.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,784 Rp 50.1M
$5,917 VUV 694.1K
-52.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
$2,162 VUV 253.6K
3.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Port Vila
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
$678 VUV 79.5K
-75.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
6.18
122.98%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Last update for Port Vila: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$676
Port Vila
$1.1K 65.7% $444
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$290
Port Vila
$476 64% $186
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$109
Port Vila
$250 130% $142
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$108
Port Vila
$1K 844% $911
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
Port Vila
$134 24.2% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$65
Port Vila
$68 * 4.8% $3.1
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$13
Port Vila
$81 543% $68

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,142 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,549 in Port Vila. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 312% higher in Port Vila, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $56.0 in Port Vila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $476 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇻🇺 Port Vila
🕒 Local time
15:39 3:39 PM
18:39 6:39 PM
3 h ahead of Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
44,039 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

VUV, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Vanuatu Vatu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 117 VUV (1,000 VUV = 8.53 USD). 1 EUR = 132 VUV (1,000 VUV = 7.58 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Port Vila 5,820 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Port Vila

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Port Vila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Port Vila?
Port Vila costs about 130% more than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ubud, Bali and in Port Vila?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,051 per month in Ubud, Bali and $4,722 in Port Vila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Ubud, Bali or Port Vila?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Ubud, Bali compared to Port Vila?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $3,148 in Port Vila. That's a gap of about 130%.
How expensive is transport in Ubud, Bali compared to Port Vila?
Public transport costs about 678% less in Ubud, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in Port Vila?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,368, than in Port Vila at $3,148. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Vila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Port Vila?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,368 versus $3,148 in Port Vila. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Port Vila?
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.
Should I move to Ubud, Bali or to Port Vila?
If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port Vila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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