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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $591 in Sibolga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $944 in Sibolga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,296 in Sibolga.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 136% more expensive than in Sibolga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Sibolga is 56% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$1.55 Rp 28.0K

130.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$12.22 Rp 220.7K

164.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$3.48 Rp 62.7K

43.97%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$1.67 Rp 30.1K

68.86%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.51 Rp 9,295

164.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.28 Rp 5,108

160.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$3.11 Rp 56.1K

-5.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.65 Rp 47.9K

48.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.22 Rp 22.1K

45.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

107.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

23.66%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.59 Rp 28.7K

51.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$8.33 Rp 150.3K

72.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$2.27 Rp 41.0K

84.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$9.10 Rp 164.2K

32.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.30 Rp 41.5K

58.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.51 Rp 27.3K

3.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.89 Rp 34.1K

47.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.49 Rp 26.9K

50.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$0.71 Rp 12.9K

178.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.53 Rp 27.6K

49.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.91 Rp 16.4K

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.35 Rp 6,334

125.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$1.73 Rp 31.2K

84.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$23.19 Rp 418.7K

1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.31 Rp 41.7K

25.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.33 Rp 42.0K

18.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.41 Rp 7,381

-34.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$9.68 Rp 174.7K

-13.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$0.53 Rp 9,591

-15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.37 Rp 6,753

24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$2.86 Rp 51.7K

112.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.06 Rp 19.2K

-18.87%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$24.7K Rp 445.4M

7.77%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$27.3K Rp 492.0M

19.44%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$26.79 Rp 483.7K

194.96%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$4.22 Rp 76.2K

-3.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$22.81 Rp 411.8K

4.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$23.00 Rp 415.3K

329.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$6.08 Rp 109.8K

4.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$3.09 Rp 55.8K

29.77%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$24.11 Rp 435.3K

1132.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$7,603 Rp 137.3M

-13.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$15.45 Rp 278.8K

245.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$18.19 Rp 328.3K

109.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$66.2 Rp 1.2M

33.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$74.7 Rp 1.3M

2.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$260 Rp 4.7M

291.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$159 Rp 2.9M

327.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$583 Rp 10.5M

495.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$332 Rp 6.0M

530.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$1,293 Rp 23.3M

111.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$622 Rp 11.2M

269.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Sibolga: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $260 in Sibolga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $12.00 in Sibolga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $209 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 136% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $591 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,088 in Ubud, Bali and $887 in Sibolga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $260 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $591 in Sibolga – a 136% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $591 in Sibolga versus $1,392 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 136% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.