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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $849 in Rivas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,592 in Rivas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,335 in Rivas.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 61% more expensive than in Rivas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Rivas is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$3.92 NIO 144

-12.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

$27.56 NIO 1,010

31.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$7.48 NIO 274

-23.66%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$1.27 NIO 46.63

110.24%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.88 NIO 32.31

98.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.68 NIO 24.74

27.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$1.42 NIO 51.9

107.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$1.97 NIO 72.0

129.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.28 NIO 47.02

26.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.37 NIO 86.8

-1.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.80 NIO 65.9

-38.33%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.33 NIO 85.2

-5.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

$11.36 NIO 416

55.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$6.45 NIO 236

-36.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$7.26 NIO 266

67.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$3.64 NIO 133

1.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$0.62 NIO 22.70

156.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$1.77 NIO 64.9

28.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$2.29 NIO 84.0

-14.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$3.98 NIO 146

-52.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$2.19 NIO 80.2

6.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.99 NIO 36.43

2.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,791

$1.07 NIO 39.36

-48.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$2.61 NIO 95.6

-14.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

$14.79 NIO 542

55.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.42 NIO 52.0

70.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$2.33 NIO 85.3

28.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,582

$1.68 NIO 61.4

-71.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,693

$1.60 NIO 58.7

-73.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$6.90 NIO 253

-18.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.37 NIO 50.1

-41.61%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

$23.3K NIO 852.9K

7.11%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

$26.4K NIO 966.8K

20.13%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$119 NIO 4,341

-31.27%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$17.31 NIO 634

-62.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

$36.89 NIO 1,351

-49.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$20.34 NIO 745

179.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

$6.87 NIO 252

172.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$8.67 NIO 317

-47.64%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$235 NIO 8,614

104.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$6,005 NIO 219.9K

-4.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

$69.8 NIO 2,557

-34.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

$73.7 NIO 2,699

-51.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$133 NIO 4,853

-39.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$107 NIO 3,935

-26.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$149 NIO 5,447

649.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$127 NIO 4,659

448.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$756 NIO 27.7K

381.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$809 NIO 29.6K

114.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$493 NIO 18.1K

-65.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

10.25

34.44%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Rivas: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $149 in Rivas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rivas pays 194% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $28.00 in Rivas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $256 per month, with Rivas cheaper across the board.

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 Rivas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rivas wins on cost – living expenses run 61% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rivas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 194% lower in Rivas. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $149 in Rivas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $849 in Rivas – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $849 in Rivas versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rivas but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Rivas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Rivas delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $849 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rivas hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Rivas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Rivas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.