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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,389 in Riffa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,551 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,061 in Riffa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,733 in Riffa, rent included.

Ubud, Bali and Riffa have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Ubud, Bali and Riffa sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 5%, Riffa by 4%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Riffa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.40 Rp 60.6K
$6.78 BHD 2.55
-49.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.38 Rp 577.1K
$45.73 BHD 17.24
-29.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.00 Rp 89.1K
$5.82 BHD 2.19
-14.09%
Cappuccino
$2.82 Rp 50.3K
$2.00 BHD 0.76
41.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 Rp 24.5K
$0.62 BHD 0.23
122.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 Rp 13.0K
$0.28 BHD 0.11
160.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.98 Rp 53.2K
$7.74 BHD 2.92
-61.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.97 Rp 70.8K
$10.74 BHD 4.05
-63.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Riffa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.79 Rp 32.0K
$1.31 BHD 0.49
36.64%
White Bread (500g)
$2.46 Rp 43.9K
$1.32 BHD 0.50
86.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.20 Rp 21.4K
$2.37 BHD 0.89
-49.37%
Eggs
$2.39 Rp 42.6K
$2.14 BHD 0.81
11.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.40 Rp 256.6K
$8.54 BHD 3.22
68.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.28 Rp 76.4K
$7.01 BHD 2.64
-38.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.82 Rp 210.6K
$10.03 BHD 3.78
17.85%
Apples (1kg)
$3.78 Rp 67.4K
$2.34 BHD 0.88
61.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 Rp 29.1K
$1.87 BHD 0.71
-12.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.80 Rp 49.9K
$1.69 BHD 0.64
65.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 Rp 40.3K
$1.16 BHD 0.44
94.83%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 Rp 35.6K
$0.87 BHD 0.33
129.89%
Onion (1kg)
$2.21 Rp 39.4K
$1.03 BHD 0.39
114.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 Rp 19.1K
$1.46 BHD 0.55
-26.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 Rp 13.6K
$0.55 BHD 0.21
38.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.13 Rp 55.7K
$6.62 BHD 2.49
-52.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.81 Rp 424.4K
$13.03 BHD 4.91
82.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.84 Rp 50.6K
$3.52 BHD 1.33
-19.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 Rp 49.5K
$3.21 BHD 1.21
-13.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Riffa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,755
$0.84 BHD 0.32
-67.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.37 Rp 149.1K
$32.22 BHD 12.15
-74.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 8,082
$4.60 BHD 1.73
-90.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,624
$3.88 BHD 1.46
-88.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.98 Rp 106.5K
$26.32 BHD 9.92
-77.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.80 Rp 14.3K
$0.39 BHD 0.15
105.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.8K Rp 459.9M
$27.0K BHD 10.2K
-4.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.8K Rp 566.8M
$20.7K BHD 7,821
53.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Riffa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.7 Rp 1.4M
$121 BHD 45.61
-33.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.14 Rp 73.7K
$26.10 BHD 9.84
-84.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.12 Rp 429.8K
$38.04 BHD 14.34
-36.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Riffa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$97.8 Rp 1.7M
$78.8 BHD 29.70
24.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.64 Rp 118.4K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.04 Rp 71.9K
$7.79 BHD 2.94
-48.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Riffa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$297 Rp 5.3M
$383 BHD 144
-22.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,590 Rp 117.4M
$6,614 BHD 2,494
-0.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Riffa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.1 Rp 982.6K
$40.02 BHD 15.09
37.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.51 Rp 686.2K
$62.4 BHD 23.52
-38.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.1 Rp 1.5M
$66.5 BHD 25.08
29.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.0 Rp 1.4M
$39.96 BHD 15.07
95.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Riffa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 Rp 17.6M
$1,172 BHD 442
-15.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$665 Rp 11.8M
$540 BHD 204
23.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,446 Rp 61.4M
$2,128 BHD 802
61.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,042 Rp 36.4M
$918 BHD 346
122.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,829 Rp 50.4M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,282 Rp 40.7M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Riffa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$169 Rp 3.0M
$1,372 BHD 517
-87.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
5
165.60%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for Riffa: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,172 in Riffa. 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 711% higher in Riffa. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $46.00 in Riffa. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Ubud, Bali vs $238 in Riffa – so Riffa 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 Riffa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,091 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,083 in Riffa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Riffa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Ubud, Bali or in Riffa?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $46.00 in Riffa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 285% less in Riffa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ubud, Bali or in Riffa?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Riffa, where all-in costs run around $1,389, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,394. In Riffa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ubud, Bali or Riffa more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Riffa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or Riffa?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Riffa. 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.

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