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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $562 in Sari.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $819 in Sari.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,076 in Sari.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 148% more expensive than in Sari, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Sari is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.6K

$4.10 $4.10

-17.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 577.1K

$10.80 $10.80

199.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 89.1K

$4.92 $4.92

1.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.66 $0.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.3K

$0.77 $0.77

266.23%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

$0.46 $0.46

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.52 $0.52

40.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.8K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.0K

$0.60 $0.60

198.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$0.57 $0.57

331.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$1.88 $1.88

-36.17%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.6K

$1.20 $1.20

99.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 256.6K

$3.44 $3.44

318.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 76.4K

$3.09 $3.09

38.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 210.6K

$7.41 $7.41

59.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.4K

$0.41 $0.41

821.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$0.90 $0.90

81.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.9K

$0.84 $0.84

233.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.3K

$0.66 $0.66

242.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.6K

$0.51 $0.51

292.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.4K

$0.51 $0.51

333.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

$0.60 $0.60

78.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.15 $0.15

406.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 $0.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 $1.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.7K

$1.98 $1.98

58.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 424.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.6K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.5K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,755

$0.14 $0.14

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 149.1K

$9.92 $9.92

-15.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,082

$0.48 $0.48

-6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,624

$0.27 $0.27

59.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 106.5K

$2.34 $2.34

155.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$0.73 $0.73

9.59%

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

$25.8K Rp 459.9M

$79.6K $79.6K

-67.57%

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

$31.8K Rp 566.8M

$54.2K $54.2K

-41.30%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$15.63 $15.63

416.57%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.7K

$2.18 $2.18

89.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 429.8K

$5.67 $5.67

325.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$31.88 $31.88

206.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 118.4K

$10.81 $10.81

-38.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.9K

$1.02 $1.02

296.08%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$49.13 $49.13

504.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 117.4M

$784 $784

740.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 982.6K

$30.84 $30.84

78.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 686.2K

$34.39 $34.39

11.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$123 $123

-29.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$69.7 $69.7

11.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.6M

$538 $538

83.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$225 $225

195.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.4M

$633 $633

444.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.4M

$297 $297

588.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.4M

$1,065 $1,065

165.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.7M

$472 $472

383.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$380 $380

-55.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

25.07

-47.03%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for Sari: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Ubud, Bali and $538 in Sari. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sari pays 125% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $11.00 in Sari for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $93.0 per month, with Sari 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 Sari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Sari differ by about 148% in total monthly costs ($1,394 vs $562 including rent). Sari is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 125% lower in Sari. 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: $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $538 in Sari. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 222% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Sari – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $562 in Sari versus $1,394 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sari but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sari 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 Sari 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 Sari gentler on the wallet – expenses run 148% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.