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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,395 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $741 in Sanya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,559 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,168 in Sanya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,724 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,594 in Sanya, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 88% more than Sanya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Sanya is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 Rp 59.7K

$2.41 ¥16.46

44.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.88 Rp 564.0K

$21.22 ¥145

54.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 Rp 87.3K

$5.51 ¥37.66

-7.62%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 47.1K

$2.52 ¥17.24

9.13%

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

$1.38 Rp 23.7K

$0.41 ¥2.79

236.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$0.27 ¥1.82

162.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 Rp 49.4K

$1.95 ¥13.34

47.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 Rp 66.4K

$1.97 ¥13.46

96.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 30.7K

$1.83 ¥12.47

-2.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 42.0K

$1.38 ¥9.42

77.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

$1.50 ¥10.21

-19.33%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 40.9K

$1.66 ¥11.34

43.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.70 Rp 252.1K

$16.94 ¥116

-13.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 Rp 72.7K

$3.80 ¥25.98

11.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.08 Rp 207.1K

$10.37 ¥70.8

16.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Rp 62.9K

$2.10 ¥14.35

74.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.6K

$1.51 ¥10.29

6.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

$1.96 ¥13.39

38.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 39.0K

$1.59 ¥10.87

42.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$0.73 ¥4.97

160.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 39.4K

$0.74 ¥5.08

210.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 17.4K

$0.48 ¥3.27

112.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.4K

$0.58 ¥3.94

34.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 Rp 55.7K

$3.14 ¥21.48

3.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.06 Rp 412.7K

$7.13 ¥48.67

237.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 48.7K

$1.06 ¥7.25

167.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 47.8K

$0.94 ¥6.39

196.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,610

$0.29 ¥1.99

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.24 Rp 141.4K

$16.04 ¥110

-48.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,708

$1.55 ¥10.60

-70.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,305

$0.54 ¥3.66

-20.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 Rp 103.3K

$6.57 ¥44.86

-8.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 14.7K

$1.23 ¥8.38

-30.08%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.1M

$19.7K ¥134.5K

32.33%

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

$31.7K Rp 543.7M

$16.4K ¥112.2K

92.98%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.3M

$83.8 ¥572

-6.49%

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

$4.00 Rp 68.5K

$9.94 ¥67.9

-59.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.35 Rp 417.7K

$11.54 ¥78.9

111.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.8 Rp 1.6M

$41.29 ¥282

131.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.46 Rp 110.7K

$13.73 ¥93.8

-52.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 68.7K

$6.14 ¥41.92

-34.69%

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

$302 Rp 5.2M

$337 ¥2,300

-10.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,545 Rp 112.3M

$16.7K ¥113.7K

-60.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 916.3K

$42.74 ¥292

24.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 Rp 661.2K

$30.18 ¥206

27.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 Rp 1.5M

$47.93 ¥327

85.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$73.9 ¥505

6.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 Rp 17.4M

$274 ¥1,868

271.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 Rp 11.5M

$189 ¥1,290

256.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,368 Rp 57.8M

$599 ¥4,088

462.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 Rp 36.2M

$364 ¥2,485

479.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,001 Rp 51.5M

$3,232 ¥22.1K

-7.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,337 Rp 40.1M

$2,004 ¥13.7K

16.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$178 Rp 3.0M

$697 ¥4,758

-74.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.05

162.97%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 12, 2026

Last update for Sanya: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,016 in Ubud, Bali versus $274 in Sanya. 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 292% higher in Sanya, 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 $33 in Ubud, Bali versus $21 in Sanya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $215 – making Sanya 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 Sanya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 88% more than Sanya, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,092 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,112 in Sanya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,395 in Ubud, Bali and $741 in Sanya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 95% less in Sanya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sanya, where all-in costs run around $741, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,395. In Sanya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sanya costs $741 versus $1,395 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Sanya. 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.