Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Scottburgh

For one person, living is cheaper in Scottburgh: $1,105 a month against $1,331 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Scottburgh, South Africa
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,331
/mo nomad
Scottburgh
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,105
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Scottburgh

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Scottburgh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,331 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,105 in Scottburgh.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,331
  • Scottburgh $1,105

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,736 in Scottburgh.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,255
  • Scottburgh $1,736

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,180 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,368 in Scottburgh.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,180
  • Scottburgh $2,368

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 20% more expensive than in Scottburgh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ubud, Bali 2% lower, Scottburgh 18% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Scottburgh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.38 Rp 61.3K
$8.66 R 144
-60.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.65 Rp 628.8K
$36.96 R 613
-6.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.57 Rp 101.2K
$6.09 R 101
-8.54%
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.5K
$2.59 R 43.05
1.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
$1.10 R 18.28
40.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 Rp 11.6K
$0.82 R 13.53
-21.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.67 Rp 48.4K
$2.35 R 38.98
13.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.26 Rp 77.4K
$2.34 R 38.83
82.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Scottburgh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 Rp 26.5K
$1.24 R 20.50
17.74%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 Rp 41.6K
$0.96 R 15.91
138.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.11 Rp 20.1K
$1.49 R 24.70
-25.50%
Eggs
$2.10 Rp 38.1K
$2.29 R 37.98
-8.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.94 Rp 289.3K
$8.04 R 133
98.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.88 Rp 70.5K
$5.21 R 86.5
-25.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.40 Rp 206.9K
$7.26 R 120
57.02%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 Rp 64.5K
$1.97 R 32.71
80.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
$1.86 R 30.92
-17.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.5K
$1.94 R 32.24
14.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.8K
$1.60 R 26.61
23.12%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 Rp 33.7K
$1.51 R 25.03
23.18%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 Rp 43.9K
$1.37 R 22.69
76.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 Rp 18.6K
$1.16 R 19.20
-12.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 Rp 9,479
$1.18 R 19.62
-55.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.20 Rp 39.9K
$3.54 R 58.7
-37.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.79 Rp 395.4K
$4.87 R 80.8
347.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.33 Rp 42.2K
$1.50 R 24.84
55.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 53.9K
$2.02 R 33.51
47.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Scottburgh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,544
$1.88 R 31.26
-86.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.17 Rp 148.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,944
$0.44 R 7.24
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 Rp 8,493
$0.71 R 11.73
-33.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.60 Rp 101.6K
$7.73 R 128
-27.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
$1.50 R 24.85
-44.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4K Rp 443.7M
$35.9K R 596.4K
-32.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 575.2M
$34.1K R 565.6K
-7.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Scottburgh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.5 Rp 1.4M
$149 R 2,473
-48.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.14 Rp 111.5K
$38.28 R 635
-83.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.92 Rp 343.3K
$39.10 R 649
-51.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Scottburgh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 Rp 925.4K
$30.86 R 512
65.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.25 Rp 331.2K
$13.26 R 220
37.63%
Cinema Ticket
$4.38 Rp 79.5K
$7.54 R 125
-41.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Scottburgh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$492 Rp 8.9M
$311 R 5,166
58.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.2K Rp 221.8M
$7,387 R 122.6K
65.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Scottburgh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.16 Rp 819.6K
$52.5 R 871
-13.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.89 Rp 633.2K
$27.25 R 452
28.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.3 Rp 1.4M
$95.5 R 1,584
-17.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
$83.8 R 1,391
-7.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Scottburgh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 Rp 19.6M
$361 R 5,996
198.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$665 Rp 12.1M
$368 R 6,113
80.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,510 Rp 63.7M
$821 R 13.6K
327.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,671 Rp 30.3M
$792 R 13.1K
110.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,340 Rp 42.5M
$759 R 12.6K
208.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,236 Rp 40.6M
$715 R 11.9K
212.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Scottburgh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
11.7
17.78%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: November 1, 2026

Last update for Scottburgh: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$665
Scottburgh
$368 44.6% $296
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$279
Scottburgh
$193 30.9% $86
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$106
Scottburgh
$117 9.7% $10
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
Scottburgh
$143 35.1% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$103
Scottburgh
$226 121% $124
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$60
Scottburgh
$46 23.1% $14
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
Scottburgh
$12 * 3.7% $0.4

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,078 in Ubud, Bali and $361 in Scottburgh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35 in Ubud, Bali vs $37 in Scottburgh. Groceries flip the comparison at $279 vs $193, with Scottburgh cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇿🇦 Scottburgh
🕒 Local time
19:29 7:29 PM
13:29 1:29 PM
6 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
23,949
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18,148 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,345 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.92 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 16.59 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.03 USD). 1 EUR = 18.6 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.38 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Scottburgh 9,010 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Scottburgh

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Scottburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Scottburgh cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Scottburgh is about 17% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,996 in Ubud, Bali and $1,657 in Scottburgh to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Ubud, Bali and Scottburgh?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,078 in Ubud, Bali versus $361 in Scottburgh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $492 in Ubud, Bali versus $311 in Scottburgh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Ubud, Bali or in Scottburgh?
Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $35 versus $37 in Scottburgh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 enough for either Ubud, Bali or Scottburgh?
Either city works on $1,500 a month, though Scottburgh gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Ubud, Bali or in Scottburgh?
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.

Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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