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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $696 in Samarinda, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,067 in Samarinda, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,439 in Samarinda, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 100% more than Samarinda, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Samarinda is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

134.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$12.05 Rp 217.5K

168.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$5.87 Rp 106.0K

-14.65%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$1.65 Rp 29.8K

70.91%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.49 Rp 8,909

175.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.38 Rp 6,902

92.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.47 Rp 44.6K

18.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$3.58 Rp 64.7K

10.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.17 Rp 21.1K

52.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

163.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

49.35%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

51.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$7.96 Rp 143.6K

80.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$3.98 Rp 71.8K

5.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$10.94 Rp 197.5K

10.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$5.68 Rp 102.6K

-35.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.26 Rp 22.8K

24.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

132.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

41.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.45 Rp 26.1K

36.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$2.02 Rp 36.5K

12.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.91 Rp 16.5K

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.55 Rp 10.0K

43.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$2.26 Rp 40.9K

41.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$20.14 Rp 363.6K

16.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.04 Rp 36.7K

42.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$3.21 Rp 58.0K

-14.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.32 Rp 5,810

-15.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$10.05 Rp 181.4K

-16.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

-52.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.38 Rp 6,821

21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$2.85 Rp 51.4K

112.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

34.37%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$24.5K Rp 441.9M

8.61%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$27.4K Rp 495.4M

18.60%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$70.0 Rp 1.3M

12.87%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$4.32 Rp 78.1K

-5.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$23.17 Rp 418.2K

2.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$23.10 Rp 417.0K

327.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$6.00 Rp 108.3K

5.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$3.15 Rp 56.8K

27.30%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$95.0 Rp 1.7M

212.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$7,587 Rp 137.0M

-12.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$41.68 Rp 752.4K

28.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$30.38 Rp 548.5K

25.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$67.4 Rp 1.2M

31.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$75.3 Rp 1.4M

1.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$257 Rp 4.6M

297.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$156 Rp 2.8M

337.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$581 Rp 10.5M

496.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$337 Rp 6.1M

520.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$1,237 Rp 22.3M

120.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$667 Rp 12.0M

244.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$322 Rp 5.8M

-49.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.15

45.14%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Samarinda: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $257 in Samarinda. 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 97% higher in Samarinda, 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $12.00 in Samarinda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $231 – making Samarinda 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 Samarinda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, $696 in Samarinda – roughly 100% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,044 in Samarinda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $12.00 in Samarinda. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,392 in Ubud, Bali and $696 in Samarinda. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Samarinda, where all-in costs run around $696, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. In Samarinda 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 $696 in Samarinda to $1,392 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 Samarinda. 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.