Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Puttalam

For one person, living is cheaper in Puttalam: $62.2 a month against $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $15,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index

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Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,368

/mo nomad

Puttalam

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$62.2

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Puttalam

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 Puttalam actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $62.2 in Puttalam, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $1,368
Puttalam $62.2

A couple spends around $2,314 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $108 in Puttalam, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $2,314
Puttalam $108

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $154 in Puttalam, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $3,260
Puttalam $154

Ubud, Bali costs about 2100% more than Puttalam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Ubud, Bali sits 1% above the global median, while Puttalam is 95% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 59.9K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.18 Rp 633.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 Rp 104.5K

Cappuccino

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

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

$1.64 Rp 29.5K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 Rp 48.6K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 77.4K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.4K

$0.48 LKR 157

379.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

$0.79 LKR 261

49.37%

Eggs

$2.14 Rp 38.6K

$1.29 LKR 428

65.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.48 Rp 314.6K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 72.5K

$3.54 LKR 1,173

13.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.23 Rp 220.1K

$7.40 LKR 2,452

65.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 Rp 63.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$0.79 LKR 260

98.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.7K

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.9K

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 41.3K

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.9K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Rp 9,475

$0.37 LKR 123

43.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$7.05 LKR 2,335

-67.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.01 Rp 414.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 Rp 52.4K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,315

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.82 Rp 158.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,684

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,233

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 Rp 98.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 Rp 15.9K

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

$24.6K Rp 442.2M

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

$31.2K Rp 561.4M

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

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

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

$6.45 Rp 116.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.57 Rp 334.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.11 Rp 326.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 Rp 78.9K

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

$493 Rp 8.9M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,754 Rp 103.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.19 Rp 831.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.33 Rp 636.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 Rp 20.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$676 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,503 Rp 63.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 Rp 30.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 50.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,241 Rp 40.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Last update for Puttalam: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ubud, Bali

$676 49.4%

Puttalam

–

Groceries & Markets

Ubud, Bali

$290 21.2%

Puttalam

–

Eating Out

Ubud, Bali

$109 8%

Puttalam

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ubud, Bali

$108 7.9%

Puttalam

–

Clothing & Footwear

Ubud, Bali

$108 7.9%

Puttalam

–

Sport & Entertainment

Ubud, Bali

$65 4.7%

Puttalam

–

Getting Around

Ubud, Bali

$13 0.9%

Puttalam

–

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🇱🇰 Puttalam

🕒 Local time

00:52 12:52 AM

22:22 10:22 PM

2 h 30 min behind Ubud, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,800

45,400

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

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

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ubud, Bali Puttalam 4,340 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Ubud, Bali
Puttalam

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 Puttalam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 2100%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,051 per month in Ubud, Bali and $93.2 in Puttalam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $62.2 in Puttalam. That's a gap of about 2100%.

Groceries cost about 367% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Puttalam, where all-in costs run around $62.2, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In Puttalam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puttalam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Puttalam. 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.