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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $941 in Samara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,386 in Samara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,832 in Samara.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 48% more expensive than in Samara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Samara is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$7.18 ₽616

-53.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$34.69 ₽2,977

11.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$5.15 ₽442

7.18%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$2.11 ₽181

25.12%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$0.97 ₽83.4

72.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.46 ₽39.31

67.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$1.00 ₽85.5

163.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$1.83 ₽157

133.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.05 ₽90.4

47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$0.84 ₽72.4

164.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$1.30 ₽111

-13.08%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$1.44 ₽124

45.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$10.34 ₽887

68.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$5.04 ₽433

-23.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

$7.28 ₽625

72.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$1.60 ₽137

126.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.80 ₽154

-13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$1.52 ₽130

54.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$2.69 ₽231

-23.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$0.95 ₽81.4

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.42 ₽35.71

457.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$1.12 ₽96.0

-8.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$0.53 ₽45.67

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$2.52 ₽216

-10.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$4.15 ₽356

473.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$0.78 ₽66.9

196.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$1.29 ₽110

117.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.45 ₽38.36

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$3.51 ₽302

-86.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$3.41 ₽292

67.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$0.78 ₽66.9

-2.56%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

$26.4K ₽2.3M

-7.12%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$36.0K ₽3.1M

-10.86%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$116 ₽9,940

-27.86%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$5.38 ₽461

20.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

$10.42 ₽894

82.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

$44.28 ₽3,800

26.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

$21.61 ₽1,855

-13.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$5.12 ₽440

-16.41%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$72.6 ₽6,233

-37.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$44.45 ₽3,815

-18.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$105 ₽8,979

-21.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$82.3 ₽7,062

-2.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$526 ₽45.1K

112.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$328 ₽28.1K

113.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$853 ₽73.2K

314.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$410 ₽35.2K

329.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$2,326 ₽199.6K

21.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$1,496 ₽128.4K

53.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$859 ₽73.7K

-80.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

25.03

-44.95%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Samara: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $526 in Samara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samara pays 406% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $35.00 in Samara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $176 per month, with Samara 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 48% in total monthly costs ($1,396 vs $941 including rent). Samara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 406% lower in Samara. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $526 in Samara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Samara – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $941 in Samara – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $941 in Samara versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Samara but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Samara 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 Samara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.