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 $1,397 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $520 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,588 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $849 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,778 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,177 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 169% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Ratnapura is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 Rp 61.5K

$2.20 LKR 740

55.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.97 Rp 573.3K

$10.01 LKR 3,365

219.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 Rp 90.6K

$6.51 LKR 2,188

-22.43%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.7K

$2.29 LKR 771

18.34%

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

$1.39 Rp 24.9K

$0.80 LKR 270

73.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$0.48 LKR 161

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 Rp 51.9K

$2.15 LKR 722

34.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.02 LKR 1,016

25.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$2.00 LKR 672

-10.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 Rp 44.9K

$0.82 LKR 274

206.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$0.72 LKR 242

68.06%

Eggs

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

$1.23 LKR 415

92.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 Rp 258.8K

$16.20 LKR 5,445

-10.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 Rp 74.4K

$7.09 LKR 2,382

-41.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 Rp 217.3K

$17.39 LKR 5,847

-30.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 Rp 67.6K

$4.60 LKR 1,545

-18.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$0.77 LKR 260

111.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

$4.58 LKR 1,541

-40.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

$1.08 LKR 364

109.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.5K

$1.13 LKR 380

70.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

$1.52 LKR 510

44.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.55 LKR 185

85.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

$0.48 LKR 160

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 57.1K

$14.44 LKR 4,854

-77.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.84 Rp 427.5K

$12.35 LKR 4,152

93.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 Rp 49.8K

$2.32 LKR 781

19.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$3.11 LKR 1,045

-11.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,794

$0.41 LKR 139

-34.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.20 Rp 147.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,668

$0.41 LKR 138

17.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,557

$0.53 LKR 179

-20.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 Rp 108.1K

$0.34 LKR 115

1673.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$1.07 LKR 358

-23.36%

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

$26.6K Rp 476.4M

$21.6K LKR 7.3M

22.79%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.6M

$21.4K LKR 7.2M

50.46%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

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

$3.91 Rp 70.2K

$2.30 LKR 774

70.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 Rp 428.9K

$8.26 LKR 2,777

189.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$10.15 LKR 3,412

847.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 117.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.0K

$2.63 LKR 885

52.47%

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

$303 Rp 5.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,551 Rp 117.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 Rp 992.0K

$11.89 LKR 3,998

365.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 Rp 687.3K

$8.19 LKR 2,754

367.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

$94.1 LKR 31.6K

-5.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$28.09 LKR 9,443

173.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$82.2 LKR 27.6K

1099.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 Rp 12.2M

$59.3 LKR 19.9K

1050.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,420 Rp 61.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 Rp 37.2M

$95.0 LKR 31.9K

2083.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,762 Rp 49.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 Rp 40.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$167 LKR 56.1K

1.01%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $82.2 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 Ubud, Bali, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $280 – 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 169%, 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 $2,096 per month in Ubud, Bali and $780 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 6% 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 $32.00 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 $520, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,397. 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.