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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $629 in Sibolga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $996 in Sibolga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,363 in Sibolga.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 118% more expensive than in Sibolga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Sibolga is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$1.86 Rp 33.0K

84.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$12.51 Rp 221.6K

190.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

84.79%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$1.48 Rp 26.3K

80.41%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.43 Rp 7,596

306.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.22 Rp 3,949

295.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.17 Rp 38.4K

35.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.47 Rp 61.5K

30.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.29 Rp 22.8K

25.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.25 Rp 22.2K

86.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.78 Rp 13.7K

42.31%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

70.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$7.00 Rp 123.9K

152.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$2.62 Rp 46.4K

56.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$8.03 Rp 142.2K

51.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.30 Rp 40.7K

61.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

16.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.45 Rp 25.8K

34.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

29.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.89 Rp 33.5K

23.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.85 Rp 15.0K

18.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.41 Rp 7,250

34.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$2.93 Rp 51.8K

-23.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$22.84 Rp 404.5K

1.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.83 Rp 32.4K

32.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

12.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.32 Rp 5,678

-15.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

-15.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.34 Rp 6,029

26.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$2.94 Rp 52.1K

91.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

-11.11%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$21.1K Rp 373.6M

18.24%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$30.5K Rp 540.2M

3.95%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$70.7 Rp 1.3M

15.15%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$4.12 Rp 73.0K

57.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$19.28 Rp 341.4K

-2.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$19.00 Rp 336.5K

199.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$7.31 Rp 129.4K

156.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$2.54 Rp 44.9K

78.74%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$108 Rp 1.9M

346.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$8,988 Rp 159.1M

-36.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$46.17 Rp 817.5K

-1.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$31.95 Rp 565.8K

12.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

22.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$70.6 Rp 1.2M

11.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$214 Rp 3.8M

420.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$166 Rp 2.9M

319.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$598 Rp 10.6M

508.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$326 Rp 5.8M

432.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$1,187 Rp 21.0M

134.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$769 Rp 13.6M

197.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.46

45.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sibolga: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $214 in Sibolga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $13.00 in Sibolga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $203 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 118% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $629 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,052 in Ubud, Bali and $943 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $214 in Sibolga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $108 in Sibolga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sibolga – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $629 in Sibolga versus $1,368 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 118% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.