Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Shelby, NC Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Shelby, NC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,932 in Shelby, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,698 in Shelby, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,463 in Shelby, NC.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 26% less than in Shelby, NC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 7% above, Shelby, NC 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$14.15 $14.15

-74.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$34.32 $34.32

-5.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$9.29 $9.29

-45.43%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$3.70 $3.70

-23.51%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$1.53 $1.53

-12.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$1.22 $1.22

-43.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.48 $2.48

20.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$3.02 $3.02

27.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$0.76 $0.76

128.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$2.67 $2.67

-4.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$3.47 $3.47

-65.71%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$4.36 $4.36

-44.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$9.48 $9.48

54.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$12.99 $12.99

-67.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$22.86 $22.86

-47.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$5.16 $5.16

-28.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.81 $1.81

-11.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$5.29 $5.29

-49.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$3.27 $3.27

-28.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$3.30 $3.30

-42.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$4.63 $4.63

-52.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.93 $1.93

-45.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$1.90 $1.90

-62.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$8.72 $8.72

-64.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$15.15 $15.15

55.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.00 $2.00

37.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.76 $2.76

4.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$1.97 $1.97

-85.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.94 $1.94

-76.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$2.36 $2.36

-82.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$18.36 $18.36

-66.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$0.80 $0.80

5.00%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$24.5K $24.5K

7.27%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$21.8K $21.8K

48.74%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$223 $223

-64.87%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$35.46 $35.46

-88.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$48.84 $48.84

-50.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$43.13 $43.13

123.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$14.90 $14.90

-72.89%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$301 $301

0.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$22.1K $22.1K

-70.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$49.07 $49.07

9.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$34.61 $34.61

9.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$70.5 $70.5

23.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$78.5 $78.5

0.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$1,623 $1,623

-37.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$831 $831

-18.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$2,640 $2,640

28.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$1,164 $1,164

80.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$2,461 $2,461

21.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$2,126 $2,126

10.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$2,542 $2,542

-93.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.38

108.15%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Shelby, NC: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $1,623 in Shelby, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shelby, NC pays 1368% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $34.00 in Shelby, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $397 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

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 Shelby, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Shelby, NC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Shelby, NC earns 1368% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,623 in Shelby, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $301 in Shelby, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $34.00 in Shelby, NC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,932 in Shelby, NC, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Shelby, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,438 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Shelby, NC 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Shelby, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.