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: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $592 in Sibolga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $945 in Sibolga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,298 in Sibolga.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 135% 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

$3.40 Rp 60.6K

$1.49 Rp 26.6K

128.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 577.1K

$12.14 Rp 216.3K

166.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 89.1K

$3.36 Rp 59.9K

48.81%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.3K

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

68.86%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

$0.54 Rp 9,653

155.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.26 Rp 4,586

180.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

$3.03 Rp 54.0K

-1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.8K

$2.60 Rp 46.3K

52.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.0K

$1.19 Rp 21.1K

50.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

108.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$0.93 Rp 16.5K

29.03%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.6K

$1.57 Rp 28.0K

52.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 256.6K

$8.22 Rp 146.5K

75.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 76.4K

$2.27 Rp 40.5K

88.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 210.6K

$9.10 Rp 162.1K

29.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.4K

$2.39 Rp 42.6K

58.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$1.45 Rp 25.9K

12.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.9K

$1.88 Rp 33.5K

48.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.3K

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

44.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.6K

$0.67 Rp 11.9K

198.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.4K

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

43.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

$0.92 Rp 16.3K

16.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.36 Rp 6,354

111.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.7K

$1.78 Rp 31.6K

75.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 424.4K

$24.18 Rp 430.9K

-1.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.6K

$2.29 Rp 40.8K

24.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.5K

$2.26 Rp 40.2K

23.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,755

$0.45 Rp 7,969

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 149.1K

$9.63 Rp 171.6K

-13.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,082

$0.54 Rp 9,556

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,624

$0.34 Rp 6,141

26.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 106.5K

$2.85 Rp 50.8K

109.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

-22.33%

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

$25.8K Rp 459.9M

$24.4K Rp 435.6M

5.58%

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

$31.8K Rp 566.8M

$27.2K Rp 484.2M

17.06%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$26.73 Rp 476.4K

202.06%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.7K

$4.19 Rp 74.6K

-1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 429.8K

$23.00 Rp 409.9K

4.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$23.29 Rp 415.0K

319.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 118.4K

$6.05 Rp 107.8K

9.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.9K

$3.11 Rp 55.5K

29.90%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$24.18 Rp 430.9K

1128.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 117.4M

$7,672 Rp 136.7M

-14.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 982.6K

$15.13 Rp 269.6K

264.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 686.2K

$18.11 Rp 322.7K

112.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$67.1 Rp 1.2M

28.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$75.0 Rp 1.3M

3.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.6M

$254 Rp 4.5M

288.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$160 Rp 2.9M

315.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.4M

$591 Rp 10.5M

482.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.4M

$337 Rp 6.0M

505.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.4M

$1,389 Rp 24.7M

103.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.7M

$729 Rp 13.0M

212.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Sibolga: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Ubud, Bali and $254 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 $299 vs $210 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 ($1,394 vs $592 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,091 in Ubud, Bali and $888 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: $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $254 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 $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $592 in Sibolga – a 135% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $592 in Sibolga versus $1,394 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.