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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $491 in Qena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $778 in Qena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,064 in Qena.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 183% more expensive than in Qena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Qena is 63% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Qena
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.57 Rp 64.5K
$3.84 E£193
-7.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.32 Rp 583.4K
$15.69 E£789
105.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.01 Rp 90.4K
$5.90 E£297
-15.08%
Cappuccino
$2.82 Rp 51.0K
$1.65 E£83.2
70.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 Rp 24.4K
$0.35 E£17.54
285.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 Rp 13.2K
$0.15 E£7.64
386.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.93 Rp 53.0K
$2.03 E£102
44.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.94 Rp 71.1K
$2.62 E£132
50.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Qena
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
$0.93 E£46.99
91.40%
White Bread (500g)
$2.45 Rp 44.2K
$0.57 E£28.84
329.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.15 Rp 20.7K
$0.70 E£35.17
64.29%
Eggs
$2.41 Rp 43.6K
$2.18 E£109
10.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.33 Rp 258.7K
$3.55 E£179
303.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.19 Rp 75.6K
$6.53 E£329
-35.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.06 Rp 217.7K
$10.13 E£509
19.05%
Apples (1kg)
$3.64 Rp 65.7K
$1.33 E£66.7
173.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$0.43 E£21.82
265.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.79 Rp 50.3K
$0.43 E£21.53
548.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.5K
$0.62 E£31.04
261.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 Rp 35.7K
$0.49 E£24.85
304.08%
Onion (1kg)
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
$0.57 E£28.71
300.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.05 Rp 19.0K
$0.30 E£15.11
250.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
$0.18 E£9.04
338.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.19 Rp 57.6K
$2.02 E£101
57.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.49 Rp 424.1K
$7.38 E£371
218.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 Rp 52.3K
$1.20 E£60.6
141.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 Rp 49.7K
$1.77 E£88.9
55.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Qena
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,813
$0.21 E£10.32
28.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.37 Rp 151.1K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 8,167
$0.42 E£21.00
7.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 Rp 8,298
$0.15 E£7.55
206.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.07 Rp 109.6K
$1.97 E£99.0
208.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 Rp 15.6K
$0.33 E£16.54
160.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K Rp 480.0M
$17.4K E£874.0K
53.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5K Rp 587.6M
$33.0K E£1.7M
-1.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Qena
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.0 Rp 1.4M
$25.92 E£1,304
204.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.09 Rp 73.9K
$6.45 E£324
-36.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.85 Rp 430.5K
$12.50 E£629
90.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Qena
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.8 Rp 1.8M
$21.89 E£1,101
351.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.35 Rp 114.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.01 Rp 72.3K
$3.50 E£176
14.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Qena
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$297 Rp 5.4M
$97.9 E£4,924
203.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,602 Rp 119.2M
$590 E£29.7K
1019.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Qena
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 Rp 964.5K
$11.18 E£563
377.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.11 Rp 688.1K
$19.37 E£974
96.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.7 Rp 1.6M
$107 E£5,393
-17.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.6 Rp 1.4M
$50.4 E£2,537
51.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Qena
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,020 Rp 18.4M
$190 E£9,547
437.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$680 Rp 12.3M
$101 E£5,099
571.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,469 Rp 62.6M
$312 E£15.7K
1013.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,090 Rp 37.7M
$179 E£8,981
1070.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,729 Rp 49.3M
$842 E£42.3K
224.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,295 Rp 41.4M
$437 E£22.0K
424.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Qena
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$164 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
10
32.80%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Qena: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $190 in Qena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $16.00 in Qena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $145 per month, with Qena 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 Qena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Qena cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Qena is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 183% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,088 in Ubud, Bali and $737 in Qena to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Ubud, Bali and Qena?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $190 in Qena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $97.9 in Qena. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Ubud, Bali or in Qena?
Dining out is cheaper in Qena – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ubud, Bali or in Qena?
At $491 in Qena versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Qena but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Qena the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ubud, Bali or Qena more family-friendly?
For families, Qena 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.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or Qena?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Qena are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Qena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 183% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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