Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Romford

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,353 a month against $2,706 in Romford, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,353
/mo nomad
Romford
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,706
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Romford

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Romford actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,353 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,706 in Romford.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,353
  • Romford $2,706

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,122 in Romford.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,297
  • Romford $4,122

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,241 in Ubud, Bali versus $5,538 in Romford.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,241
  • Romford $5,538

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 50% less than in Romford, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, Romford 100% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Romford
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.23 Rp 58.1K
$23.90 £17.93
-86.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.88 Rp 627.8K
$108 £81.3
-67.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.70 Rp 102.5K
$10.75 £8.07
-46.98%
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.1K
$4.88 £3.66
-46.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
$2.68 £2.01
-35.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$1.85 £1.39
-56.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
$7.62 £5.72
-65.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
$6.78 £5.09
-35.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Romford
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$1.83 £1.37
-14.21%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 Rp 39.5K
$1.74 £1.30
25.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$2.62 £1.96
-54.96%
Eggs
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
$4.88 £3.66
-55.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.65 Rp 317.7K
$9.51 £7.13
85.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.78 Rp 68.0K
$9.56 £7.17
-60.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.95 Rp 215.1K
$16.02 £12.02
-25.41%
Apples (1kg)
$3.60 Rp 64.8K
$3.03 £2.28
18.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 Rp 28.6K
$1.37 £1.03
16.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 41.6K
$3.24 £2.43
-28.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
$3.55 £2.66
-46.20%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
$1.66 £1.25
7.23%
Onion (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.9K
$1.82 £1.37
28.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
$1.25 £0.93
-20.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,509
$1.80 £1.35
-70.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
$23.41 £17.56
-90.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.07 Rp 397.3K
$13.22 £9.92
66.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
$3.21 £2.41
-26.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 Rp 53.6K
$4.14 £3.11
-28.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Romford
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 Rp 4,112
$4.58 £3.43
-94.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.90 Rp 160.2K
$97.1 £72.8
-90.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 Rp 8,466
$5.51 £4.13
-91.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,737
$2.59 £1.94
-83.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.47 Rp 98.4K
$25.48 £19.11
-78.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
$2.08 £1.56
-60.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.9K Rp 429.8M
$38.9K £29.2K
-38.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K Rp 590.1M
$40.4K £30.3K
-18.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Romford
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
$381 £286
-79.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.56 Rp 118.1K
$18.84 £14.13
-65.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.60 Rp 334.8K
$43.29 £32.48
-57.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Romford
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 Rp 974.1K
$50.6 £37.94
7.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.28 Rp 329.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.25 Rp 76.5K
$17.03 £12.78
-75.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Romford
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
$2,581 £1,936
-80.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,597 Rp 100.7M
$35.1K £26.4K
-84.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Romford
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.58 Rp 820.4K
$90.0 £67.6
-49.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.96 Rp 629.4K
$46.87 £35.16
-25.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
$91.7 £68.8
-15.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
$130 £97.3
-39.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Romford
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,131 Rp 20.4M
$1,852 £1,389
-38.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.1M
$1,201 £901
-43.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,613 Rp 65.0M
$3,269 £2,452
10.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,702 Rp 30.6M
$2,259 £1,695
-24.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,717 Rp 48.9M
$5,605 £4,205
-51.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
$3,693 £2,770
-39.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Romford
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
$2,863 £2,148
-94.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
5
175.60%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Last update for Romford: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$673
Romford
$1.2K 78.5% $528
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$287
Romford
$330 15% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$107
Romford
$161 51.3% $55
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
Romford
$352 231% $245
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$105
Romford
$443 322% $338
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$63
Romford
$85 35.2% $22
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
Romford
$134 977% $121

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,131 in Ubud, Bali and $1,852 in Romford. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Romford pays 1621% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $108 in Romford for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $330 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇬🇧 Romford
🕒 Local time
08:33 8:33 AM
01:33 1:33 AM
7 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
95,894
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Romford 12,470 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Romford

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Romford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and in Romford?
Ubud, Bali and Romford differ by about 100% in total monthly costs ($1,353 vs $2,706 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 1621% lower in Romford. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Romford?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,131 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,852 in Romford. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Romford?
A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 990% less than in Romford. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ubud, Bali and Romford?
Childcare runs $493 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,581 in Romford. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,353 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,706 in Romford, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Romford. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Romford?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Ubud, Bali or Romford safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Romford are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Ubud, Bali or Romford?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Romford. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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