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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $705 in Shantou, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,103 in Shantou, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,500 in Shantou, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 100% more than Shantou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Shantou is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$2.03 ¥13.71

69.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$16.87 ¥114

91.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$4.97 ¥33.57

-2.62%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$3.24 ¥21.92

-15.12%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.47 ¥3.20

193.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.30 ¥2.05

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$0.80 ¥5.42

273.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.67 ¥18.07

44.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.69 ¥11.39

2.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.37 ¥9.26

79.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.71 ¥4.82

64.79%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.86 ¥12.58

30.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$12.66 ¥85.5

14.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$3.76 ¥25.40

15.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$12.25 ¥82.8

-2.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$1.88 ¥12.72

97.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.43 ¥9.66

13.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.68 ¥11.34

63.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.28 ¥8.62

75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.78 ¥5.27

146.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.95 ¥6.42

140.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.68 ¥4.58

55.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.43 ¥2.91

67.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$3.39 ¥22.89

-2.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$12.39 ¥83.7

87.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$0.83 ¥5.62

234.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.82 ¥12.33

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.36 ¥2.46

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$22.01 ¥149

-63.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.54 ¥10.41

-68.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.36 ¥2.41

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$6.69 ¥45.24

-7.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.14 ¥7.71

-28.95%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$21.1K ¥142.7K

26.04%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$19.5K ¥131.5K

65.46%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$53.3 ¥360

47.08%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$8.53 ¥57.6

-52.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$12.89 ¥87.1

88.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$41.05 ¥277

140.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$14.13 ¥95.5

-55.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$6.78 ¥45.85

-41.15%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$450 ¥3,038

-32.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$20.2K ¥136.5K

-67.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$49.29 ¥333

9.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$29.86 ¥202

26.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$75.6 ¥511

14.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$77.8 ¥526

-1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$280 ¥1,894

253.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$139 ¥937

385.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$567 ¥3,829

495.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$281 ¥1,901

628.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$2,249 ¥15.2K

24.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$4,385 ¥29.6K

-49.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$1,037 ¥7,009

-83.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.04

228.71%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Shantou: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $280 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 521% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $17.00 in Shantou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $210 – 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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $705 in Shantou – roughly 100% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,057 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 41% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $17.00 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 $705, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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 $705 in Shantou to $1,408 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.