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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $337 in Shimla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $539 in Shimla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,757 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $742 in Shimla, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 318% more than Shimla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Shimla is 75% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

$1.78 ₹167

92.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

$5.90 ₹554

458.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

$3.56 ₹334

42.70%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

$0.93 ₹87.2

203.23%

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$0.31 ₹29.53

341.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$0.15 ₹14.11

373.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

$1.62 ₹152

83.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

$2.30 ₹216

70.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$0.75 ₹70.7

133.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$0.44 ₹41.38

472.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$0.64 ₹59.8

89.06%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$0.86 ₹80.3

170.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

$4.36 ₹409

232.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

$3.70 ₹347

17.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

$1.97 ₹185

93.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$0.70 ₹65.5

130.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

$0.82 ₹76.7

229.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$0.56 ₹52.3

298.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$0.35 ₹32.54

442.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$0.44 ₹41.34

395.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$0.22 ₹20.63

368.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$0.34 ₹31.54

126.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

$4.46 ₹418

-28.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

$5.26 ₹494

341.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$1.69 ₹159

68.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$2.25 ₹211

20.89%

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

$5.91 ₹555

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

$0.22 ₹20.53

31.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

$8.78 ₹824

-3.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

$0.83 ₹77.8

-40.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

$1.18 ₹110

432.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$1.19 ₹111

-28.57%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

$15.0K ₹1.4M

74.30%

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

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

$19.7K ₹1.8M

60.16%

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$19.05 ₹1,788

318.74%

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

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

$3.45 ₹324

18.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

$7.69 ₹721

212.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$14.60 ₹1,370

558.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

$7.20 ₹676

-9.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

$3.44 ₹323

20.06%

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

$46.07 ₹4,324

544.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

$2,352 ₹220.8K

183.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

$33.31 ₹3,127

65.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

$28.80 ₹2,704

34.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

$46.18 ₹4,334

94.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$29.10 ₹2,731

171.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

$94.6 ₹8,878

976.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

$58.3 ₹5,467

1032.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

$223 ₹20.9K

1443.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

$138 ₹13.0K

1386.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

$955 ₹89.6K

212.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

$515 ₹48.3K

360.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 3.0M

$577 ₹54.1K

-70.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

8.25

60.97%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Last update for Shimla: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $95 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 235% 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 $33 in Ubud, Bali versus $6 in Shimla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $100 – 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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $337 in Shimla – roughly 318% 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 $506 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $6.00 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 $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $337 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 $337, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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 $337 in Shimla 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 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.