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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $331 in Salem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $531 in Salem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $731 in Salem, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 314% more than Salem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Salem is 76% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$2.13 ₹205

61.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$7.29 ₹699

398.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$3.74 ₹358

52.67%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$1.26 ₹121

111.90%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.37 ₹35.68

372.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.17 ₹16.61

411.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$1.56 ₹150

89.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.21 ₹308

40.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.56 ₹54.2

189.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.45 ₹42.71

417.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.62 ₹59.5

79.03%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$0.72 ₹69.4

205.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$5.40 ₹518

227.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$2.46 ₹236

66.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.04 ₹195

81.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$0.84 ₹80.2

89.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.35 ₹129

68.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$0.36 ₹34.70

441.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.42 ₹39.92

354.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.43 ₹40.83

441.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.25 ₹24.07

304.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.27 ₹25.67

103.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$5.04 ₹483

-55.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$3.04 ₹292

658.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.38 ₹133

75.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.09 ₹200

43.54%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$3.68 ₹353

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.22 ₹21.12

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$9.12 ₹875

-1.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$0.79 ₹76.3

-39.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.13 ₹12.92

230.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$1.07 ₹102

427.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.08 ₹104

-25.93%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$15.1K ₹1.4M

65.64%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$19.9K ₹1.9M

59.12%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$38.24 ₹3,669

113.02%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$2.87 ₹276

126.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$7.64 ₹733

145.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$17.22 ₹1,652

230.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$9.51 ₹912

96.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$2.07 ₹199

119.32%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$54.0 ₹5,182

789.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$1,685 ₹161.6K

239.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$19.91 ₹1,910

128.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$14.65 ₹1,406

144.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$30.92 ₹2,966

159.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$27.53 ₹2,641

185.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$101 ₹9,692

1003.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$56.9 ₹5,458

1126.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$259 ₹24.9K

1301.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$165 ₹15.8K

951.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$1,304 ₹125.1K

113.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$426 ₹40.9K

437.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$336 ₹32.2K

-50.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.88

39.47%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Salem: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $101 in Salem. 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 100% higher in Salem, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $7.00 in Salem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $90.0 – making Salem 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 Salem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, $331 in Salem – roughly 314% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $496 in Salem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $331 in Salem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Salem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Salem, where all-in costs run around $331, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In Salem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $331 in Salem to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Salem. 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.