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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,374 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $673 in Shantou, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,313 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,086 in Shantou, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,252 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,498 in Shantou, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 104% more than Shantou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Shantou is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 59.7K

$2.21 ¥14.86

50.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.33 Rp 634.5K

$23.44 ¥157

50.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 Rp 95.8K

$5.14 ¥34.49

3.70%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.5K

$3.32 ¥22.29

-17.17%

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

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

$0.46 ¥3.11

276.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$0.33 ¥2.23

142.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.9K

$0.86 ¥5.79

243.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 Rp 79.7K

$2.18 ¥14.66

103.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$1.54 ¥10.36

-2.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

$1.45 ¥9.71

58.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

$0.76 ¥5.11

44.74%

Eggs

$2.16 Rp 38.8K

$1.74 ¥11.69

24.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 Rp 306.9K

$13.80 ¥92.6

23.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.6K

$3.72 ¥24.97

4.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 Rp 214.0K

$13.27 ¥89.1

-10.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$1.94 ¥13.00

84.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

$1.52 ¥10.18

3.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 42.4K

$1.79 ¥12.04

31.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.38 ¥9.26

42.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.5K

$0.85 ¥5.70

112.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

$1.04 ¥7.01

129.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.57 ¥3.82

78.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,825

$0.47 ¥3.15

4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.3K

$3.81 ¥25.59

-40.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.30 Rp 400.5K

$11.72 ¥78.6

90.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

$0.82 ¥5.50

189.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.0K

$1.78 ¥11.94

62.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,474

$0.38 ¥2.57

-34.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.55 Rp 153.6K

$23.83 ¥160

-64.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,936

$1.51 ¥10.15

-70.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,584

$0.36 ¥2.39

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 Rp 101.7K

$7.00 ¥46.98

-19.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.20 ¥8.08

-32.50%

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

$23.7K Rp 426.3M

$19.7K ¥131.9K

20.76%

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

$31.0K Rp 556.3M

$18.0K ¥120.8K

72.01%

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

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$57.3 ¥384

43.79%

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

$6.30 Rp 113.1K

$8.81 ¥59.1

-28.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.63 Rp 334.7K

$13.75 ¥92.3

35.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 Rp 982.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 Rp 331.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 76.1K

$7.38 ¥49.49

-42.55%

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

$484 Rp 8.7M

$534 ¥3,582

-9.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,590 Rp 100.4M

$23.9K ¥160.1K

-76.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.77 Rp 822.0K

$50.5 ¥339

-9.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 Rp 641.0K

$40.31 ¥270

-11.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$69.4 ¥466

12.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

$86.2 ¥578

-7.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 Rp 20.6M

$299 ¥2,003

283.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 Rp 12.2M

$151 ¥1,014

348.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 Rp 62.9M

$598 ¥4,013

485.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 Rp 30.3M

$300 ¥2,013

462.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 Rp 50.1M

$2,264 ¥15.2K

23.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,257 Rp 40.5M

$4,415 ¥29.6K

-48.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,074 ¥7,203

-84.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

3.4

305.29%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 28, 2026

Last update for Shantou: September 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,147 in Ubud, Bali versus $299 in Shantou. 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 550% higher in Shantou, 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 $35.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $23.00 in Shantou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $216 – making Shantou 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 Shantou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,374 in Ubud, Bali, $673 in Shantou – roughly 104% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,062 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,010 in Shantou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 32% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali and $23.00 in Shantou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shantou, where all-in costs run around $673, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,374. In Shantou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $673 in Shantou to $1,374 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Shantou. 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.