Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Qingdao, Shandong Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Qingdao, Shandong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $769 in Qingdao, Shandong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,212 in Qingdao, Shandong, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,275 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,655 in Qingdao, Shandong, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 79% more than Qingdao, Shandong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Qingdao, Shandong is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.06 ¥20.49

8.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$17.69 ¥118

102.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$4.38 ¥29.35

28.54%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.74 ¥18.36

2.92%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.50 ¥3.37

250.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.30 ¥2.00

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.08 ¥7.24

181.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.55 ¥17.09

68.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.98 ¥13.27

-18.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.41 ¥9.42

60.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$0.99 ¥6.61

18.18%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.30 ¥8.67

66.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$16.46 ¥110

7.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.43 ¥29.66

-8.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$9.57 ¥64.1

27.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$1.40 ¥9.41

158.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.16 ¥7.77

41.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.65 ¥11.07

40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.26 ¥8.44

55.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.73 ¥4.87

152.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.88 ¥5.93

169.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.94 ¥6.27

11.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.61 ¥4.12

-11.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$3.80 ¥25.42

-39.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$14.46 ¥96.9

59.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.01 ¥6.76

131.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.56 ¥10.46

96.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.29 ¥1.91

-13.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$17.77 ¥119

-46.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.51 ¥10.10

-67.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.41 ¥2.78

14.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$8.75 ¥58.6

-36.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.22 ¥8.18

-33.61%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$19.5K ¥130.9K

27.96%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$16.6K ¥110.9K

87.64%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$69.3 ¥464

19.33%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$6.92 ¥46.34

-6.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$7.87 ¥52.7

138.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$20.55 ¥138

168.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$17.94 ¥120

1.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$6.27 ¥41.96

-31.42%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$366 ¥2,452

34.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$17.5K ¥117.5K

-66.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$51.2 ¥343

-9.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$49.12 ¥329

-25.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$91.3 ¥611

-11.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$87.8 ¥588

-10.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$352 ¥2,360

216.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$199 ¥1,335

247.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$738 ¥4,946

392.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$417 ¥2,795

310.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$3,614 ¥24.2K

-23.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$2,153 ¥14.4K

6.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$1,209 ¥8,096

-86.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

3.37

308.90%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Qingdao, Shandong: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $352 in Qingdao, Shandong. 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 623% higher in Qingdao, Shandong, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $18.00 in Qingdao, Shandong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $222 – making Qingdao, Shandong 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 Qingdao, Shandong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 79%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,067 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,154 in Qingdao, Shandong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qingdao, Shandong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $18.00 in Qingdao, Shandong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Qingdao, Shandong, where all-in costs run around $769, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. In Qingdao, Shandong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qingdao, Shandong – 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 Qingdao, Shandong. 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.