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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,237 in Sendai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,903 in Sendai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,569 in Sendai, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 15% more than Sendai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Sendai is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$6.67 ¥1,069

-46.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$34.00 ¥5,451

-3.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.3K

$4.92 ¥789

0.61%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$3.83 ¥614

-29.24%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$1.57 ¥251

-14.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.75 ¥120

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$3.55 ¥569

-17.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$3.39 ¥544

16.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$1.48 ¥237

22.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$1.18 ¥190

113.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$3.85 ¥618

-69.87%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$1.87 ¥300

31.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$10.16 ¥1,628

44.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$7.43 ¥1,191

-41.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$9.43 ¥1,512

28.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$5.36 ¥859

-28.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$2.30 ¥369

-32.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$4.95 ¥794

-42.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$3.62 ¥581

-35.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$2.62 ¥420

-27.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$1.98 ¥318

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$1.14 ¥183

-11.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$0.81 ¥130

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$4.88 ¥782

-31.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.1K

$6.94 ¥1,113

242.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$2.13 ¥341

30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$2.71 ¥435

5.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$1.71 ¥274

-84.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

$49.39 ¥7,917

-83.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,231

$5.60 ¥898

-91.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,117

$1.36 ¥217

-66.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$20.16 ¥3,231

-69.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.18 ¥189

-33.05%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$20.7K ¥3.3M

26.36%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.3M

$28.2K ¥4.5M

13.80%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$173 ¥27.7K

-53.79%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$23.14 ¥3,709

-82.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.2K

$31.51 ¥5,051

-25.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$55.1 ¥8,824

79.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$13.93 ¥2,233

-52.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$12.32 ¥1,974

-66.31%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$314 ¥50.4K

-3.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$6,305 ¥1.0M

4.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$61.9 ¥9,920

-10.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$38.89 ¥6,233

-1.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$51.7 ¥8,290

71.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$76.6 ¥12.3K

1.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.2M

$446 ¥71.5K

125.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$326 ¥52.3K

107.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$825 ¥132.3K

316.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$633 ¥101.4K

222.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$2,656 ¥425.8K

6.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$1,419 ¥227.5K

59.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,134 ¥181.8K

-85.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

342.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sendai: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $446 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 586% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $34.00 in Sendai. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Ubud, Bali vs $280 in Sendai – so Sendai 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 15% more than Sendai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,856 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 $33.00 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 $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $1,237 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 $1,237, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. 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 $1,237 versus $1,419 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.