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 $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $386 in Sikkim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,551 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $609 in Sikkim, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $832 in Sikkim, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 261% more than Sikkim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Sikkim is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.2K

$2.30 ₹217

47.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 573.6K

$10.42 ₹986

210.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 88.6K

$3.77 ₹357

32.63%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.0K

$1.59 ₹151

77.36%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$0.37 ₹35.31

272.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.14 ₹13.45

421.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

$1.77 ₹167

68.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.3K

$2.98 ₹282

33.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 31.8K

$0.80 ₹75.3

123.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

$0.52 ₹49.64

373.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

$0.49 ₹46.65

144.90%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

$1.62 ₹153

47.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 255.1K

$5.08 ₹480

183.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

$3.00 ₹284

42.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 209.4K

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.0K

$1.98 ₹187

90.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 28.9K

$0.67 ₹63.6

143.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

$0.94 ₹88.5

197.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

$0.54 ₹51.1

318.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.3K

$0.50 ₹46.99

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

$0.59 ₹56.1

274.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 18.9K

$0.49 ₹46.18

118.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.34 ₹31.86

123.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.4K

$2.65 ₹251

18.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

$4.34 ₹410

448.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

$1.35 ₹128

110.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

$2.85 ₹270

-2.46%

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

$3.05 ₹289

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,726

$0.28 ₹26.27

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 148.2K

$8.49 ₹803

-1.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,034

$0.78 ₹73.3

-42.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,578

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 105.9K

$1.49 ₹141

301.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.22 ₹116

-34.43%

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

$25.8K Rp 457.2M

$13.7K ₹1.3M

87.97%

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

$31.8K Rp 563.4M

$21.9K ₹2.1M

45.12%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$38.36 ₹3,629

110.48%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.3K

$3.40 ₹322

21.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 427.2K

$7.59 ₹718

217.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$16.00 ₹1,514

510.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 117.7K

$6.87 ₹650

-3.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.5K

$2.93 ₹277

37.88%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$50.5 ₹4,776

488.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 116.7M

$1,547 ₹146.3K

326.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 976.8K

$24.81 ₹2,347

122.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 682.1K

$24.84 ₹2,350

55.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$42.64 ₹4,034

101.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$31.22 ₹2,954

149.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.5M

$124 ₹11.7K

693.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$77.0 ₹7,287

763.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.0M

$276 ₹26.1K

1148.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.2M

$180 ₹17.0K

1034.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.1M

$1,026 ₹97.0K

175.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.4M

$548 ₹51.8K

316.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$480 ₹45.4K

-64.76%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Sikkim: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $124 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 184% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $10.00 in Sikkim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 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 261%, 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 $2,091 per month in Ubud, Bali and $579 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $10.00 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 $1,394 in Ubud, Bali and $386 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 $386, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,394. 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.