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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $900 in Potchefstroom.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,319 in Potchefstroom.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,737 in Potchefstroom.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 60% more expensive than Potchefstroom, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Potchefstroom is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$6.27 R 105

-43.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$27.80 R 466

17.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$4.59 R 77.0

10.46%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$1.67 R 28.01

69.46%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$1.07 R 17.89

25.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.69 R 11.62

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.18 R 36.56

37.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$1.11 R 18.54

246.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.10 R 18.43

58.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.02 R 17.05

149.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.64 R 27.54

-27.44%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.21 R 37.08

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$7.18 R 120

104.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$4.26 R 71.4

-1.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$6.48 R 109

84.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$1.43 R 23.94

158.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.36 R 22.84

18.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.67 R 27.99

61.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.09 R 18.28

113.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.37 R 23.06

39.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.98 R 16.51

123.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.08 R 18.10

-1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.99 R 16.65

-27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$2.75 R 46.11

13.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$4.18 R 70.1

461.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$0.99 R 16.53

176.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$1.77 R 29.70

62.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$1.07 R 17.96

-72.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.98 R 16.50

-54.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.92 R 15.48

-54.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$3.03 R 50.9

103.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.26 R 21.21

-33.33%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$19.4K R 326.0K

35.01%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$26.0K R 436.5K

24.77%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$126 R 2,118

-37.89%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$28.48 R 478

-86.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$37.54 R 629

-35.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$28.51 R 478

238.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$2.82 R 47.34

125.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$5.56 R 93.2

-27.34%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$114 R 1,906

166.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$4,137 R 69.4K

57.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$25.23 R 423

113.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$19.23 R 322

97.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$80.2 R 1,344

8.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$64.3 R 1,079

22.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$258 R 4,332

291.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$294 R 4,939

129.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$426 R 7,149

695.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$486 R 8,156

331.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$730 R 12.2K

309.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$708 R 11.9K

230.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$895 R 15.0K

-80.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.69

13.60%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Potchefstroom: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $258 in Potchefstroom. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Potchefstroom pays 417% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $28.00 in Potchefstroom for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $165 per month, with Potchefstroom 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 Potchefstroom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Potchefstroom is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Potchefstroom earns 417% less. 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $258 in Potchefstroom. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $900 in Potchefstroom – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $900 in Potchefstroom versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Potchefstroom but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Potchefstroom the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Potchefstroom 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 Potchefstroom 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 Potchefstroom gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.