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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,699 in Sandnes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $4,203 in Sandnes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $5,708 in Sandnes, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 48% cheaper than Sandnes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Sandnes sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 2%, Sandnes by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

$25.98 NOK 241

-87.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

$97.6 NOK 906

-60.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

$15.53 NOK 144

-64.46%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

$5.86 NOK 54.4

-54.95%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$3.53 NOK 32.73

-52.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$2.94 NOK 27.29

-73.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

$13.88 NOK 129

-81.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$12.47 NOK 116

-65.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$2.43 NOK 22.52

-36.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$3.58 NOK 33.27

-37.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

$2.55 NOK 23.66

-55.69%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

$4.80 NOK 44.59

-56.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

$13.82 NOK 128

25.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

$16.35 NOK 152

-76.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

$32.90 NOK 305

-61.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

$3.64 NOK 33.84

-0.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$2.81 NOK 26.08

-44.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

$3.18 NOK 29.56

-26.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$4.97 NOK 46.12

-58.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

$2.53 NOK 23.52

-24.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

$2.34 NOK 21.74

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$2.78 NOK 25.80

-62.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,809

$2.41 NOK 22.34

-77.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$16.68 NOK 155

-86.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

$17.14 NOK 159

38.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$3.28 NOK 30.49

-29.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

$4.39 NOK 40.74

-36.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$4.85 NOK 45.00

-94.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

$86.3 NOK 801

-89.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,515

$6.41 NOK 59.5

-92.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,887

$1.80 NOK 16.75

-75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

$48.95 NOK 454

-88.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$2.25 NOK 20.85

-66.22%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

$45.1K NOK 418.3K

-45.66%

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

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

$39.0K NOK 361.9K

-17.59%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$256 NOK 2,378

-67.38%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

$35.65 NOK 331

-81.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

$83.4 NOK 775

-77.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

$46.60 NOK 433

20.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

$54.0 NOK 501

-65.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$19.63 NOK 182

-78.20%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$291 NOK 2,705

66.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

$9,807 NOK 91.1K

-40.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

$130 NOK 1,205

-64.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

$60.3 NOK 560

-39.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$121 NOK 1,120

-32.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$193 NOK 1,795

-58.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$1,339 NOK 12.4K

-16.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$966 NOK 8,967

-27.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

$2,029 NOK 18.8K

74.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

$1,824 NOK 16.9K

-3.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

$7,133 NOK 66.2K

-60.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

$4,060 NOK 37.7K

-43.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$3,736 NOK 34.7K

-95.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.22

163.98%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sandnes: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,339 in Sandnes. 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 2100% higher in Sandnes, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $98.0 in Sandnes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $496 – making Ubud, Bali 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 Sandnes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sandnes is pricier by about 93%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $4,049 in Sandnes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $487 per month in Ubud, Bali and $291 in Sandnes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% more in Sandnes, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,396, than in Sandnes at $2,699. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sandnes it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sandnes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.