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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $81.0 in Serowe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $142 in Serowe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $204 in Serowe.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 1621% more expensive than Serowe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Serowe is 94% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.2K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 573.6K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 88.6K

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.0K

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

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 31.8K

$1.40 P 18.34

27.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

$1.10 P 14.44

123.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

$1.82 P 23.83

31.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 255.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 209.4K

$4.14 P 54.3

185.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.0K

$1.36 P 17.82

177.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 28.9K

$1.09 P 14.31

49.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

$1.60 P 21.02

41.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.3K

$1.51 P 19.72

32.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

$1.40 P 18.29

57.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 18.9K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.73 P 9.55

4.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.4K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,726

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 148.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,034

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,578

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 105.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

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

$25.8K Rp 457.2M

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

$31.8K Rp 563.4M

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

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

$4.14 Rp 73.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 427.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 117.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.5K

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$114 P 1,495

160.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 116.7M

$1,770 P 23.2K

272.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 976.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 682.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for Serowe: June 15, 2026

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 Serowe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Serowe wins on cost – living expenses run 1621% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Serowe the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,091 in Ubud, Bali and $121 in Serowe 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.

All in, you'll spend $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $81.0 in Serowe – a 1621% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 264% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $81.0 in Serowe versus $1,394 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Serowe but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Serowe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Serowe delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $81.0 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Serowe hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Serowe 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 Serowe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1621% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.