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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $307 in Shimla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $509 in Shimla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $711 in Shimla, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 345% more than Shimla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Shimla is 78% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$1.55 ₹149

121.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$5.28 ₹506

587.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$3.11 ₹298

83.60%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$0.88 ₹84.7

203.41%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.38 ₹36.73

360.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.10 ₹9.30

770.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$1.56 ₹150

89.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$2.14 ₹205

111.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.63 ₹60.4

157.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.37 ₹35.50

529.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.59 ₹56.4

88.14%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$0.84 ₹80.6

161.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$4.13 ₹396

328.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$3.22 ₹309

27.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$1.78 ₹171

108.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$0.74 ₹71.5

114.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$0.68 ₹65.0

235.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$0.45 ₹43.04

333.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.30 ₹28.86

536.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.33 ₹32.03

606.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.20 ₹19.14

405.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.27 ₹25.68

103.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$3.38 ₹325

-34.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$8.29 ₹795

178.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.53 ₹147

58.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.09 ₹201

43.54%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$3.79 ₹364

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.22 ₹21.11

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$7.98 ₹766

12.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.03 ₹98.6

-53.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.30 ₹28.67

43.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$1.02 ₹97.4

452.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.04 ₹99.9

-23.08%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$8,478 ₹813.4K

194.23%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$17.9K ₹1.7M

77.10%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$18.06 ₹1,733

351.05%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$3.05 ₹292

112.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$6.63 ₹636

183.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$13.95 ₹1,339

307.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$10.41 ₹999

79.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$3.21 ₹308

41.43%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$40.67 ₹3,902

1081.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$2,112 ₹202.6K

170.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$25.35 ₹2,432

79.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$21.99 ₹2,110

63.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$38.43 ₹3,687

109.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$26.27 ₹2,520

199.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$85.7 ₹8,221

1200.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$52.2 ₹5,007

1237.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$202 ₹19.3K

1703.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$170 ₹16.3K

923.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$980 ₹94.0K

184.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$496 ₹47.6K

361.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$622 ₹59.7K

-73.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.25

67.03%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Shimla: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $85.7 in Shimla. 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 270% higher in Shimla, 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $5.00 in Shimla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $97.0 – making Shimla 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 Shimla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, $307 in Shimla – roughly 345% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $461 in Shimla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $5.00 in Shimla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $307 in Shimla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shimla, where all-in costs run around $307, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In Shimla 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 $307 in Shimla to $1,368 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 Shimla. 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.