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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $531 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $838 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,145 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 164% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Ratnapura is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.7K

$2.21 LKR 744

61.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 589.5K

$10.19 LKR 3,434

218.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 88.2K

$6.55 LKR 2,206

-25.80%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.8K

$2.40 LKR 808

14.58%

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

$1.32 Rp 24.0K

$0.80 LKR 270

65.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

$0.52 LKR 175

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.8K

$2.12 LKR 713

37.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.8K

$3.02 LKR 1,018

25.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 31.0K

$1.98 LKR 668

-13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.9K

$0.83 LKR 279

197.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.8K

$0.72 LKR 241

66.67%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 44.3K

$1.19 LKR 403

105.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 260.9K

$16.56 LKR 5,580

-13.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 78.1K

$7.21 LKR 2,429

-40.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 221.4K

$17.39 LKR 5,859

-29.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.8K

$4.59 LKR 1,548

-19.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 28.1K

$0.78 LKR 262

98.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.5K

$4.74 LKR 1,599

-41.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 42.3K

$1.08 LKR 365

115.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.7K

$1.17 LKR 393

68.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.9K

$1.58 LKR 533

46.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.3K

$0.53 LKR 178

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.48 LKR 161

52.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 59.5K

$14.80 LKR 4,988

-77.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 413.4K

$12.63 LKR 4,257

80.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.9K

$2.31 LKR 779

21.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 50.5K

$3.20 LKR 1,078

-13.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,281

$0.41 LKR 139

-29.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 146.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,146

$0.41 LKR 140

9.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,193

$0.52 LKR 176

-13.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 113.1K

$0.34 LKR 115

1735.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.4K

$1.07 LKR 360

-20.56%

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

$26.0K Rp 471.2M

$21.9K LKR 7.4M

18.47%

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

$31.7K Rp 574.1M

$21.6K LKR 7.3M

46.66%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

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

$4.06 Rp 73.6K

$2.26 LKR 762

79.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 442.9K

$7.81 LKR 2,632

212.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.8M

$10.22 LKR 3,445

855.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 116.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 73.3K

$2.60 LKR 878

55.38%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 120.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 983.6K

$11.64 LKR 3,923

365.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 703.2K

$8.47 LKR 2,853

357.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.6M

$94.7 LKR 31.9K

-9.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$28.23 LKR 9,514

171.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.9M

$82.6 LKR 27.8K

1093.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.9M

$59.9 LKR 20.2K

998.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 61.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.5M

$94.1 LKR 31.7K

2096.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 3.0M

$165 LKR 55.6K

-0.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $82.6 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 1% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $283 – 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 164%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $797 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 5% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $10.00 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 $531, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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.