Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sa Pa Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sa Pa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $733 in Sa Pa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,183 in Sa Pa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,634 in Sa Pa, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 94% more than Sa Pa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Sa Pa is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$1.93 ₫50.8K

84.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$20.74 ₫544.8K

57.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$4.47 ₫117.3K

10.74%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.73 ₫45.3K

56.65%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.51 ₫13.4K

162.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.30 ₫7,994

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$0.93 ₫24.5K

213.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$1.50 ₫39.3K

164.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.37 ₫36.1K

32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.99 ₫26.1K

154.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.93 ₫24.3K

24.73%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.42 ₫37.3K

73.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$11.67 ₫306.6K

26.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$3.76 ₫98.9K

14.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$10.08 ₫264.8K

20.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.75 ₫72.1K

39.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.06 ₫27.8K

47.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.35 ₫35.4K

109.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.13 ₫29.7K

106.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.08 ₫28.3K

76.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.01 ₫26.6K

117.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.65 ₫17.0K

55.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.49 ₫12.7K

59.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$1.32 ₫34.6K

151.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$11.49 ₫302.0K

106.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$0.79 ₫20.6K

253.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$1.66 ₫43.7K

72.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.34 ₫8,979

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$6.47 ₫170.1K

24.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$0.71 ₫18.6K

-35.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.67 ₫17.6K

-32.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$2.72 ₫71.5K

124.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.85 ₫22.5K

-7.06%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$34.6K ₫910.4M

-24.53%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$32.3K ₫849.6M

-0.67%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$75.1 ₫2.0M

6.43%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$5.99 ₫157.3K

-32.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$8.70 ₫228.7K

170.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$22.35 ₫587.2K

341.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$7.80 ₫205.1K

-15.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$3.01 ₫79.1K

37.87%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$271 ₫7.1M

12.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$11.6K ₫305.5M

-43.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$41.28 ₫1.1M

34.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$23.04 ₫605.3K

66.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$86.6 ₫2.3M

2.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$73.8 ₫1.9M

5.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$353 ₫9.3M

185.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$250 ₫6.6M

170.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$740 ₫19.5M

364.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$534 ₫14.0M

281.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$2,114 ₫55.5M

34.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$1,238 ₫32.5M

82.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.1

45.93%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sa Pa: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $353 in Sa Pa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $21.00 in Sa Pa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $192 – making Sa Pa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Sa Pa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 94%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,099 in Sa Pa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 57% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $21.00 in Sa Pa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sa Pa, where all-in costs run around $733, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Sa Pa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sa Pa – 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 Sa Pa. 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.