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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,167 in Sendai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,810 in Sendai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,454 in Sendai, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 20% more than Sendai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Sendai is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

$6.16 ¥959

-45.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

$34.30 ¥5,338

12.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

$4.66 ¥726

18.45%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

$3.56 ¥554

-25.84%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$0.95 ¥149

75.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.80 ¥124

-3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

$1.92 ¥299

36.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$3.22 ¥502

32.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.46 ¥227

6.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$1.43 ¥223

55.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

$6.63 ¥1,032

-82.96%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

$2.03 ¥316

2.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

$10.84 ¥1,688

60.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

$11.59 ¥1,804

-66.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

$8.54 ¥1,329

46.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

$3.49 ¥543

3.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$2.19 ¥341

-28.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

$4.58 ¥713

-48.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$3.06 ¥476

-32.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

$2.44 ¥380

-22.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

$2.30 ¥358

1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$1.39 ¥216

-25.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,809

$1.22 ¥189

-54.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$4.29 ¥668

-47.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

$7.02 ¥1,093

239.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$1.56 ¥244

48.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

$2.73 ¥425

2.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$1.50 ¥233

-82.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

$37.42 ¥5,824

-76.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,515

$5.20 ¥810

-90.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,887

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

$17.70 ¥2,755

-67.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.06 ¥165

-28.30%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

$15.4K ¥2.4M

58.70%

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

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

$25.0K ¥3.9M

28.68%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$137 ¥21.3K

-39.06%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

$29.91 ¥4,655

-78.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

$35.40 ¥5,509

-46.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

$45.03 ¥7,008

24.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

$12.46 ¥1,939

49.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$9.91 ¥1,543

-56.81%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$222 ¥34.6K

118.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

$3,715 ¥578.2K

57.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

$55.6 ¥8,652

-18.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

$32.82 ¥5,107

10.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$35.00 ¥5,447

134.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$53.0 ¥8,247

51.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$555 ¥86.5K

101.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$323 ¥50.3K

116.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

$702 ¥109.2K

403.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

$718 ¥111.7K

145.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

$2,636 ¥410.3K

7.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

$1,432 ¥222.8K

60.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$856 ¥133.2K

-80.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

2.73

404.76%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sendai: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $555 in Sendai. 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 404% higher in Sendai, 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $34.00 in Sendai. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Ubud, Bali vs $303 in Sendai – so Ubud, Bali wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sendai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 20% more than Sendai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,750 in Sendai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sendai, 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $34.00 in Sendai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,396 in Ubud, Bali and $1,167 in Sendai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sendai, where all-in costs run around $1,167, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. In Sendai 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. Sendai costs $1,167 versus $1,396 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 Sendai. 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.