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: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,015 in Potchefstroom.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,514 in Potchefstroom.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,013 in Potchefstroom.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 36% more expensive than in Potchefstroom, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, Potchefstroom is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$7.02 R 113

-52.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$30.54 R 492

27.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$5.61 R 90.3

0.18%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.22 R 35.84

18.92%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$1.06 R 17.08

49.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.81 R 13.10

-12.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$2.49 R 40.13

9.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$2.73 R 43.91

58.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.21 R 19.52

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$1.12 R 18.02

105.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.88 R 30.31

-45.21%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$2.54 R 40.91

-16.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$7.99 R 129

116.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$4.53 R 73.0

-11.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$7.21 R 116

72.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$1.52 R 24.48

143.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.58 R 25.49

2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$1.77 R 28.57

28.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$1.21 R 19.42

64.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$1.24 R 20.02

47.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$1.12 R 18.08

100.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$1.26 R 20.35

-17.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$1.08 R 17.35

-48.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$3.33 R 53.6

-33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$4.38 R 70.6

430.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$1.08 R 17.38

121.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$1.95 R 31.41

47.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$1.14 R 18.37

-78.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$0.32 R 5.18

43.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$0.78 R 12.50

-41.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$14.78 R 238

-61.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.53 R 24.61

-50.33%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$36.1K R 582.2K

-32.02%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$33.9K R 545.8K

-8.43%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$154 R 2,481

-46.65%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$30.66 R 494

-79.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$37.93 R 611

-51.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$31.29 R 504

79.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$7.62 R 123

-44.09%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$128 R 2,068

281.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$5,703 R 91.9K

1.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$27.62 R 445

66.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$21.78 R 351

64.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$87.2 R 1,405

-8.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$71.8 R 1,156

12.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$284 R 4,576

302.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$326 R 5,245

112.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$460 R 7,405

668.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$585 R 9,422

192.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$901 R 14.5K

209.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$733 R 11.8K

208.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$928 R 14.9K

-81.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.34

21.52%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Potchefstroom: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali and $284 in Potchefstroom. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Potchefstroom pays 448% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $31.00 in Potchefstroom for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $181 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 448% lower in Potchefstroom. 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: $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $284 in Potchefstroom. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,015 in Potchefstroom – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,015 in Potchefstroom versus $1,379 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 36% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.