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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,713 in Reading, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $4,062 in Reading, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $5,411 in Reading, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 48% cheaper than Reading, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Reading sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 6%, Reading by 102%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$27.56 £20.53

-87.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$95.7 £71.3

-65.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

$10.20 £7.60

-51.47%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$4.81 £3.58

-43.66%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$3.33 £2.48

-59.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$2.87 £2.14

-75.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$8.33 £6.20

-64.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$6.86 £5.11

-42.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$1.42 £1.06

27.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$1.31 £0.97

92.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$2.78 £2.07

-58.27%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$3.70 £2.76

-33.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$10.05 £7.48

46.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$7.92 £5.90

-45.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$13.25 £9.87

-8.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$2.97 £2.21

29.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.57 £1.17

-0.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$2.78 £2.07

1.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$3.26 £2.43

-28.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$1.43 £1.06

33.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$1.38 £1.03

59.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$0.94 £0.70

7.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$1.52 £1.14

-48.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$20.27 £15.10

-83.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

$13.77 £10.26

72.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$2.31 £1.72

20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$3.32 £2.47

-13.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$2.79 £2.08

-90.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

$88.3 £65.8

-90.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,230

$6.29 £4.68

-92.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,116

$1.74 £1.30

-74.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$14.86 £11.07

-58.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.93 £1.43

-59.07%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$38.0K £28.3K

-31.17%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

$42.3K £31.5K

-24.04%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$227 £169

-64.73%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$19.46 £14.50

-79.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

$43.65 £32.52

-46.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$47.45 £35.35

108.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$19.18 £14.29

-65.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$13.67 £10.19

-69.64%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$1,865 £1,389

-83.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$25.5K £19.0K

-74.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$82.8 £61.7

-32.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$49.24 £36.69

-22.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$110 £82.3

-19.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$97.1 £72.3

-19.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

$1,797 £1,339

-44.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$1,406 £1,047

-51.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$2,975 £2,216

15.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$2,401 £1,789

-15.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$7,043 £5,247

-59.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$5,657 £4,215

-59.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$3,476 £2,590

-95.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.53

140.14%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Reading: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,797 in Reading. 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 2004% higher in Reading, 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $96.0 in Reading. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Ubud, Bali vs $289 in Reading – so Reading wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Reading: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Reading is pricier by about 91%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $4,069 in Reading. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Reading – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $96.0 in Reading. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,419, than in Reading at $2,713. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Reading it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – 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 Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Reading makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.