Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Port Vila Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Port Vila

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,162 in Port Vila, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $4,309 in Port Vila, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $5,456 in Port Vila, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 56% cheaper than Port Vila, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ubud, Bali and Port Vila sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 2%, Port Vila by 130%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

$12.55 VUV 1,446

-73.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

$57.5 VUV 6,626

-32.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

$14.58 VUV 1,681

-62.14%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

$4.14 VUV 477

-36.23%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$2.27 VUV 261

-26.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$2.45 VUV 282

-68.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

$4.97 VUV 573

-47.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$7.03 VUV 810

-39.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$2.74 VUV 316

-43.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$1.89 VUV 217

17.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

$3.66 VUV 422

-69.13%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

$6.35 VUV 731

-67.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

$17.86 VUV 2,058

-2.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

$16.17 VUV 1,864

-76.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

$13.93 VUV 1,605

-9.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

$6.96 VUV 802

-47.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$2.14 VUV 246

-27.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

$3.95 VUV 456

-40.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$9.34 VUV 1,076

-77.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

$8.81 VUV 1,015

-78.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

$3.50 VUV 403

-33.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$2.48 VUV 285

-58.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,809

$1.21 VUV 140

-54.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$9.19 VUV 1,059

-75.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

$12.65 VUV 1,458

88.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$2.43 VUV 279

-4.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

$2.75 VUV 316

1.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$1.26 VUV 145

-78.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

$68.3 VUV 7,872

-87.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,515

$2.56 VUV 294

-81.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,887

$0.80 VUV 92.1

-43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

$5.19 VUV 598

10.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.74 VUV 201

-56.32%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

$23.1K VUV 2.7M

5.98%

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

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

$38.5K VUV 4.4M

-16.58%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$635 VUV 73.1K

-86.83%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

$22.76 VUV 2,623

-71.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

$366 VUV 42.2K

-94.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

$67.6 VUV 7,787

-17.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

$16.59 VUV 1,912

12.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$630 VUV 72.6K

-22.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

$6,806 VUV 784.3K

-13.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

$42.39 VUV 4,886

7.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

$68.3 VUV 7,876

-46.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$82.8 VUV 9,544

-1.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$103 VUV 11.9K

-22.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$1,556 VUV 179.3K

-28.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$1,147 VUV 132.2K

-38.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

$3,423 VUV 394.5K

3.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

$1,899 VUV 218.8K

-7.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

$6,073 VUV 699.8K

-53.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

$2,260 VUV 260.4K

1.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$700 VUV 80.7K

-75.74%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Port Vila: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,556 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $57.0 in Port Vila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $473 – making Ubud, Bali 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 Port Vila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Vila costs about 126% more than Ubud, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $4,742 in Port Vila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,396 in Ubud, Bali and $3,162 in Port Vila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 689% less in Ubud, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,396, than in Port Vila at $3,162. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Vila it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,396 versus $3,162 in Port Vila. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 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.