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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $481 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $765 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,275 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,050 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 187% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Ratnapura is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$2.00 LKR 656

66.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$9.18 LKR 3,016

290.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$6.13 LKR 2,013

-8.16%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.08 LKR 683

35.58%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.79 LKR 259

121.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.48 LKR 157

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.99 LKR 655

52.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.76 LKR 908

55.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.81 LKR 594

-11.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.79 LKR 260

187.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$0.66 LKR 218

77.27%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.12 LKR 368

93.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$15.15 LKR 4,980

16.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$6.51 LKR 2,139

-37.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$15.90 LKR 5,226

-23.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$4.32 LKR 1,420

-16.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$0.76 LKR 251

115.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$4.36 LKR 1,432

-47.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.02 LKR 334

92.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.03 LKR 338

78.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.37 LKR 451

72.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.48 LKR 156

118.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.45 LKR 147

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$13.10 LKR 4,303

-82.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$12.62 LKR 4,148

82.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$2.11 LKR 692

10.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.84 LKR 933

8.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.35 LKR 116

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$0.36 LKR 117

36.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.44 LKR 144

6.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.99 LKR 326

-18.18%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$19.6K LKR 6.5M

27.34%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$19.7K LKR 6.5M

57.33%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$2.01 LKR 662

222.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$7.49 LKR 2,462

150.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$9.02 LKR 2,964

512.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.40 LKR 787

79.17%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$10.79 LKR 3,545

328.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$7.76 LKR 2,550

369.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$85.8 LKR 28.2K

-5.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$26.03 LKR 8,553

202.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$76.6 LKR 25.2K

1354.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$54.0 LKR 17.7K

1183.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$86.2 LKR 28.3K

1886.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$170 LKR 55.9K

-1.81%

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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $76.6 in Ratnapura. 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 2% higher in Ratnapura, 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 $9.00 in Ratnapura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $262 – making Ratnapura 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 Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 187%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $721 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $9.00 in Ratnapura. 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 Ratnapura, where all-in costs run around $481, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. In Ratnapura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ratnapura – 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 Ratnapura. 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.