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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $678 in Rivas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,095 in Rivas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,512 in Rivas.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 105% more expensive than in Rivas, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Rivas is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

$4.04 NIO 148

-11.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

$28.43 NIO 1,041

13.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

$6.86 NIO 251

-26.97%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

$1.27 NIO 46.69

122.05%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.80 NIO 29.33

68.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.70 NIO 25.75

4.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.33 NIO 48.89

120.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

$1.97 NIO 72.2

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

$1.27 NIO 46.66

40.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

$2.47 NIO 90.6

-0.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

$1.81 NIO 66.5

-36.46%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

$2.31 NIO 84.5

4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

$11.05 NIO 405

29.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

$6.43 NIO 236

-34.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

$8.09 NIO 296

49.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

$3.87 NIO 142

-5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$0.85 NIO 30.97

84.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

$1.77 NIO 64.9

57.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$2.21 NIO 80.9

1.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

$4.03 NIO 148

-50.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

$2.28 NIO 83.3

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

$1.02 NIO 37.48

2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.02 NIO 37.33

-22.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

$2.72 NIO 99.8

17.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

$14.49 NIO 531

62.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

$1.41 NIO 51.5

105.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

$2.26 NIO 82.7

22.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,821

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,180

$1.47 NIO 53.9

-69.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,311

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

$6.86 NIO 251

-11.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.35 NIO 49.38

-36.30%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

$23.0K NIO 844.2K

15.35%

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

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

$25.9K NIO 949.3K

25.57%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$97.2 NIO 3,559

-18.69%

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

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

$16.84 NIO 617

-75.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

$37.12 NIO 1,359

-35.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

$7.79 NIO 285

-48.52%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$124 NIO 4,558

138.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

$6,083 NIO 222.8K

8.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

$76.7 NIO 2,810

-30.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

$72.2 NIO 2,645

-47.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$135 NIO 4,949

-34.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$110 NIO 4,011

-30.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$491 NIO 18.0K

-66.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.25

29.56%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Rivas: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Rivas pays 200% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $28.00 in Rivas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $260 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 105% 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 200% 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.

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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $678 in Rivas – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $678 in Rivas versus $1,392 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 $678 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 105% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.