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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $682 in Shantou, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,079 in Shantou, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,475 in Shantou, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 108% more than Shantou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Shantou is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$2.04 ¥13.81

74.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$16.77 ¥113

95.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$4.85 ¥32.83

2.06%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$3.25 ¥22.02

-16.62%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.47 ¥3.21

185.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.30 ¥2.05

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$0.85 ¥5.78

243.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$2.62 ¥17.73

51.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.64 ¥11.12

10.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$1.41 ¥9.51

78.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$0.68 ¥4.64

70.59%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.91 ¥12.95

28.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$12.68 ¥85.9

16.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$3.74 ¥25.29

15.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$12.23 ¥82.8

-0.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$1.82 ¥12.30

110.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.47 ¥9.95

6.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$1.67 ¥11.33

69.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.23 ¥8.36

89.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$0.81 ¥5.51

135.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$0.98 ¥6.65

124.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$0.64 ¥4.32

57.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.41 ¥2.75

90.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$3.52 ¥23.81

-5.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$12.35 ¥83.6

92.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$0.82 ¥5.58

240.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$1.87 ¥12.65

52.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.37 ¥2.48

-27.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$22.53 ¥153

-64.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$1.56 ¥10.55

-70.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$0.33 ¥2.23

36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$6.81 ¥46.07

-10.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.14 ¥7.70

-30.70%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$20.9K ¥141.2K

25.39%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$19.4K ¥131.1K

65.88%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$54.3 ¥368

47.11%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$8.22 ¥55.6

-50.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$12.89 ¥87.2

82.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$42.13 ¥285

134.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$14.10 ¥95.5

-52.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$7.11 ¥48.14

-41.63%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$450 ¥3,049

-32.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$20.7K ¥140.0K

-68.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$49.52 ¥335

12.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$30.31 ¥205

26.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$75.8 ¥513

16.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$79.5 ¥538

-1.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$281 ¥1,903

257.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$138 ¥933

389.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$550 ¥3,726

525.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$274 ¥1,855

644.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$3,174 ¥21.5K

-10.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$1,799 ¥12.2K

25.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,043 ¥7,062

-84.16%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Shantou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $281 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 531% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $17.00 in Shantou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $209 – 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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, $682 in Shantou – roughly 108% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,023 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 44% 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 $33.00 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 $682, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. 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 $682 in Shantou to $1,419 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.