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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $840 in Samana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,348 in Samana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,855 in Samana.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 71% more expensive than Samana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Samana is 37% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Samana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.57 Rp 61.9K
$4.21 DOP 249
-15.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.58 Rp 564.7K
$36.30 DOP 2,145
-10.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.07 Rp 87.8K
$7.60 DOP 449
-33.29%
Cappuccino
$2.83 Rp 49.0K
$1.71 DOP 101
65.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 Rp 23.2K
$0.71 DOP 41.90
88.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 Rp 12.0K
$0.84 DOP 49.40
-17.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.99 Rp 51.8K
$2.47 DOP 146
21.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 Rp 66.7K
$4.15 DOP 245
-7.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Samana
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 Rp 30.2K
$1.38 DOP 81.8
26.09%
White Bread (500g)
$2.54 Rp 44.0K
$0.88 DOP 51.9
188.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 Rp 20.6K
$0.87 DOP 51.1
36.78%
Eggs
$2.43 Rp 42.0K
$2.03 DOP 120
19.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.66 Rp 254.1K
$6.27 DOP 370
133.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.18 Rp 72.4K
$5.29 DOP 313
-20.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.94 Rp 206.9K
$8.26 DOP 488
44.55%
Apples (1kg)
$3.69 Rp 63.9K
$3.00 DOP 177
23.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 Rp 27.8K
$0.86 DOP 51.0
87.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.69 Rp 46.5K
$1.40 DOP 82.6
92.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 40.4K
$1.63 DOP 96.4
42.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 33.0K
$1.67 DOP 98.4
14.37%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 Rp 37.9K
$1.68 DOP 99.3
30.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Rp 18.3K
$0.52 DOP 31.00
103.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 Rp 12.5K
$0.65 DOP 38.50
10.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.13 Rp 54.3K
$4.21 DOP 249
-25.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.49 Rp 407.1K
$8.25 DOP 487
184.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.74 Rp 47.5K
$2.59 DOP 153
5.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 Rp 49.9K
$2.94 DOP 174
-2.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Samana
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 Rp 5,029
$0.82 DOP 48.24
-64.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.17 Rp 141.6K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 7,863
$3.37 DOP 199
-86.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,305
$1.06 DOP 62.9
-60.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.16 Rp 106.7K
$5.96 DOP 352
3.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.84 Rp 14.6K
$1.23 DOP 72.7
-31.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.2K Rp 454.9M
$26.3K DOP 1.6M
-0.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5K Rp 562.9M
$32.2K DOP 1.9M
0.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Samana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$50.8 DOP 3,004
54.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.95 Rp 68.5K
$16.94 DOP 1,001
-76.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.40 Rp 423.0K
$36.28 DOP 2,144
-32.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Samana
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$96.5 Rp 1.7M
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.35 Rp 110.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.04 Rp 70.0K
$6.67 DOP 394
-39.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Samana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$303 Rp 5.2M
$265 DOP 15.6K
14.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,523 Rp 113.1M
$8,067 DOP 476.7K
-19.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Samana
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8 Rp 933.1K
$61.2 DOP 3,619
-12.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.98 Rp 658.3K
$52.0 DOP 3,074
-27.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 Rp 1.5M
$97.8 DOP 5,778
-11.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 Rp 1.4M
$117 DOP 6,901
-32.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Samana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 Rp 17.5M
$303 DOP 17.9K
233.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$674 Rp 11.7M
$256 DOP 15.1K
163.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,390 Rp 58.8M
$729 DOP 43.1K
364.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,098 Rp 36.4M
$530 DOP 31.3K
296.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,985 Rp 51.7M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,339 Rp 40.5M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Samana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$173 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
12.9
2.95%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Samana: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $303 in Samana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $36.00 in Samana. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $192, with Samana cheaper for home cooking.

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 Samana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Samana?
Samana wins on cost – living expenses run 71% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Samana the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ubud, Bali vs Samana?
You'd need roughly $2,158 in Ubud, Bali and $1,260 in Samana to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali vs Samana?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $303 in Samana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and Samana?
Childcare runs $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $265 in Samana. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Ubud, Bali vs Samana?
Dining out is cheaper in Samana – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or Samana?
At $840 in Samana versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Samana but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Samana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Samana?
Both work as nomad bases, but Samana delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $840 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Samana hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Samana?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Samana are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Samana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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