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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $613 in Sibolga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $954 in Sibolga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,296 in Sibolga.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 135% more expensive than Sibolga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Sibolga is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$1.51 Rp 26.3K

136.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$12.21 Rp 211.6K

166.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$3.44 Rp 59.6K

47.38%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$1.68 Rp 29.1K

68.45%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.52 Rp 8,946

157.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.28 Rp 4,900

146.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$3.14 Rp 54.5K

-4.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.55 Rp 44.2K

50.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.18 Rp 20.4K

47.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.16 Rp 20.1K

118.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.94 Rp 16.3K

26.60%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.53 Rp 26.5K

58.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$8.27 Rp 143.3K

77.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$2.28 Rp 39.6K

83.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$8.72 Rp 151.2K

36.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

58.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.50 Rp 26.0K

7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.86 Rp 32.3K

44.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.50 Rp 26.1K

55.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.70 Rp 12.1K

172.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.53 Rp 26.6K

43.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.95 Rp 16.4K

11.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.33 Rp 5,673

118.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$1.76 Rp 30.6K

77.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$22.74 Rp 394.2K

3.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.25 Rp 39.0K

21.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.27 Rp 39.4K

26.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.45 Rp 7,779

-35.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$9.94 Rp 172.3K

-17.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.53 Rp 9,214

-15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.35 Rp 6,015

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$2.86 Rp 49.6K

115.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.03 Rp 17.8K

-18.45%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$24.9K Rp 431.8M

5.33%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$27.7K Rp 480.9M

17.07%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$26.40 Rp 457.6K

197.05%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$4.20 Rp 72.8K

-5.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$22.41 Rp 388.5K

8.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$22.64 Rp 392.4K

326.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$5.98 Rp 103.6K

6.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$3.12 Rp 54.0K

29.49%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$24.44 Rp 423.5K

1138.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$7,477 Rp 129.6M

-12.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$15.54 Rp 269.3K

246.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$18.49 Rp 320.5K

105.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$65.5 Rp 1.1M

32.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

8.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$261 Rp 4.5M

288.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$158 Rp 2.7M

326.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$596 Rp 10.3M

468.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$335 Rp 5.8M

526.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$1,202 Rp 20.8M

148.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$767 Rp 13.3M

204.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$167 Rp 2.9M

3.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.15

45.14%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Sibolga: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $261 in Sibolga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 4% 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 $12.00 in Sibolga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $205 per month, with Sibolga 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 Sibolga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Sibolga differ by about 135% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $613 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ubud, Bali pays 4% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $261 in Sibolga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sibolga – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $613 in Sibolga – a 135% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $613 in Sibolga versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sibolga but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sibolga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Sibolga 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 Sibolga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.