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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,838 in Samara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,485 in Samara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,131 in Samara.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 24% less than in Samara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Samara 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$10.06 ₡4,510

-64.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$55.1 ₡24.7K

-41.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$6.91 ₡3,100

-27.50%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.70 ₡1,213

4.44%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.98 ₡888

-31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$1.37 ₡614

-46.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$3.00 ₡1,347

-2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$4.26 ₡1,911

-7.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.97 ₡883

-9.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$2.85 ₡1,277

-14.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$2.22 ₡997

-48.20%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$3.03 ₡1,357

-20.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$10.16 ₡4,557

41.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$9.24 ₡4,144

-54.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$10.04 ₡4,500

20.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$4.43 ₡1,988

-17.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.50 ₡674

4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$4.29 ₡1,925

-34.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$3.47 ₡1,554

-35.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$3.57 ₡1,599

-44.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$3.10 ₡1,391

-26.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.02 ₡456

2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$2.85 ₡1,280

-72.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$4.96 ₡2,223

-35.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$18.95 ₡8,498

23.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.28 ₡1,021

27.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.22 ₡997

24.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.96 ₡433

-71.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.86 ₡832

-75.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$1.86 ₡836

-75.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$8.01 ₡3,592

-24.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.40 ₡627

-38.57%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$38.1K ₡17.1M

-30.28%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$32.4K ₡14.5M

0.38%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$95.2 ₡42.7K

-17.00%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$26.36 ₡11.8K

-84.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$60.5 ₡27.1K

-60.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$69.0 ₡30.9K

43.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$24.06 ₡10.8K

-73.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$9.93 ₡4,453

-59.62%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$477 ₡214.0K

-37.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$5,967 ₡2.7M

10.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$59.0 ₡26.4K

-9.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$52.5 ₡23.5K

-27.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$124 ₡55.4K

-28.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$107 ₡47.9K

-28.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$1,528 ₡685.0K

-33.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$860 ₡385.5K

-20.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$2,997 ₡1.3M

15.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$972 ₡435.9K

114.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$5,023 ₡2.3M

-45.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.17

30.58%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Samara: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $1,528 in Samara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $55.0 in Samara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $351 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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 Samara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Samara differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $1,838 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,088 in Ubud, Bali and $2,757 in Samara 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,528 in Samara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $477 in Samara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $55.0 in Samara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,838 in Samara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Samara. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Samara 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Samara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.