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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,783 in Seoul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,868 in Seoul, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,275 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,952 in Seoul, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 23% cheaper than Seoul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ubud, Bali and Seoul sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 0%, Seoul by 29%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$9.84 ₩13.2K

-66.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$69.1 ₩92.6K

-48.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$7.57 ₩10.2K

-25.63%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$4.04 ₩5,419

-30.20%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$1.60 ₩2,151

9.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.78 ₩1,052

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$3.75 ₩5,026

-18.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$6.11 ₩8,190

-29.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$2.15 ₩2,880

-25.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$3.11 ₩4,176

-27.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$4.20 ₩5,635

-72.14%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$3.41 ₩4,568

-36.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$17.49 ₩23.5K

0.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$9.84 ₩13.2K

-58.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$25.26 ₩33.9K

-51.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$7.80 ₩10.5K

-53.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$3.34 ₩4,477

-50.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$5.81 ₩7,792

-60.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$6.20 ₩8,309

-68.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$3.57 ₩4,784

-48.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$2.50 ₩3,348

-5.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$2.79 ₩3,745

-62.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$1.12 ₩1,499

-51.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$3.26 ₩4,373

-29.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$18.26 ₩24.5K

26.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$2.40 ₩3,219

-2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$3.14 ₩4,217

-2.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$1.12 ₩1,506

-77.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$45.94 ₩61.6K

-79.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$3.64 ₩4,885

-86.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.63 ₩843

-25.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$8.96 ₩12.0K

-37.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.51 ₩2,023

-46.36%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$29.8K ₩40.0M

-16.19%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$28.0K ₩37.6M

10.94%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$201 ₩268.9K

-58.75%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$34.79 ₩46.7K

-81.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$19.70 ₩26.4K

-4.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$56.9 ₩76.4K

-2.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$16.20 ₩21.7K

12.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$11.04 ₩14.8K

-61.05%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$1,915 ₩2.6M

-74.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$22.7K ₩30.5M

-73.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$56.7 ₩76.1K

-18.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$32.56 ₩43.7K

11.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$69.3 ₩92.9K

16.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$80.9 ₩108.5K

-2.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$891 ₩1.2M

24.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$616 ₩825.9K

12.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$2,555 ₩3.4M

42.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$1,260 ₩1.7M

35.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$28.4K ₩38.1M

-90.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$11.6K ₩15.5M

-80.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$3,457 ₩4.6M

-95.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.08

237.75%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Seoul: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $891 in Seoul. 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 1969% higher in Seoul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $69.0 in Seoul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $469 – making Ubud, Bali 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 Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 29% more than Ubud, Bali, 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 $2,067 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,675 in Seoul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 388% less in Ubud, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,915 in Seoul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,378, than in Seoul at $1,783. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,378 versus $1,783 in Seoul. 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 Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seoul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.