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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $385 in Sikkim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $615 in Sikkim, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $846 in Sikkim, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 274% more than Sikkim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Sikkim is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$2.37 ₹225

50.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$10.58 ₹1,004

207.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$3.67 ₹348

38.15%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$1.59 ₹151

77.99%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.41 ₹38.58

226.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.15 ₹13.78

360.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.76 ₹167

69.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.97 ₹282

29.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$0.78 ₹73.7

123.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.54 ₹51.1

370.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.46 ₹43.35

158.70%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.69 ₹161

43.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$4.91 ₹466

198.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$3.02 ₹287

38.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.05 ₹194

80.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$0.67 ₹64.0

140.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$0.93 ₹87.9

189.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$0.53 ₹50.4

339.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.50 ₹47.65

282.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.59 ₹56.0

271.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.49 ₹46.65

116.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.34 ₹32.11

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$2.65 ₹252

18.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$4.36 ₹414

438.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.32 ₹126

107.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.97 ₹282

-3.03%

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

$3.04 ₹289

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.28 ₹26.39

3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$8.65 ₹822

-5.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.85 ₹80.3

-47.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$1.48 ₹140

316.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.21 ₹115

-30.58%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$13.8K ₹1.3M

90.22%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$21.9K ₹2.1M

48.46%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$39.21 ₹3,722

100.00%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$3.58 ₹340

10.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$7.52 ₹714

224.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$16.13 ₹1,532

498.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$7.16 ₹679

-11.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$2.93 ₹278

37.88%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$51.7 ₹4,911

485.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$1,549 ₹147.0K

321.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$24.00 ₹2,278

124.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$25.15 ₹2,387

51.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$43.45 ₹4,125

99.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$31.57 ₹2,998

149.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$125 ₹11.8K

711.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$76.1 ₹7,226

786.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$279 ₹26.4K

1116.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$181 ₹17.2K

1060.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$980 ₹93.0K

204.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$546 ₹51.8K

328.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$484 ₹46.0K

-64.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

8.67

53.17%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Sikkim: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $125 in Sikkim. 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 180% higher in Sikkim, 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $11.00 in Sikkim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $102 – making Sikkim 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 Sikkim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 274%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $578 in Sikkim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sikkim, 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 $11.00 in Sikkim. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $385 in Sikkim. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sikkim, where all-in costs run around $385, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In Sikkim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sikkim – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Sikkim. 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.