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 $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $352 in Sikkim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $563 in Sikkim, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $774 in Sikkim, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 289% more than Sikkim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Sikkim is 74% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$2.07 ₹198

66.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

$10.44 ₹1,001

247.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

$3.58 ₹344

59.50%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$1.63 ₹157

63.80%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$0.37 ₹35.59

372.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.15 ₹14.00

480.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$1.69 ₹162

74.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$3.19 ₹306

41.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.65 ₹62.4

149.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$0.52 ₹49.89

348.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$0.41 ₹39.27

170.73%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$1.53 ₹147

43.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

$4.56 ₹438

287.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$2.78 ₹267

47.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$2.40 ₹231

54.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$0.69 ₹65.9

130.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$0.93 ₹89.7

145.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$0.45 ₹42.75

333.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$0.48 ₹46.19

297.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$0.57 ₹55.1

308.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.48 ₹46.33

110.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,795

$0.32 ₹30.88

71.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$2.32 ₹223

-3.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

$4.22 ₹405

446.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.21 ₹117

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$2.69 ₹258

11.52%

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

$2.85 ₹273

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

$0.27 ₹26.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

$7.12 ₹683

26.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,586

$0.82 ₹78.4

-41.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,697

$0.27 ₹26.15

59.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$1.50 ₹144

276.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.06 ₹101

-24.53%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

$12.7K ₹1.2M

96.46%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

$20.5K ₹2.0M

54.42%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$35.00 ₹3,357

132.74%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$3.22 ₹309

101.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

$6.60 ₹633

184.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$14.06 ₹1,349

304.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

$5.96 ₹572

214.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$2.89 ₹277

57.09%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$48.55 ₹4,657

890.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

$1,425 ₹136.6K

300.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

$22.02 ₹2,112

106.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

$22.48 ₹2,156

59.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$36.93 ₹3,542

117.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$27.36 ₹2,624

187.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$120 ₹11.5K

830.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$72.2 ₹6,927

866.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$271 ₹25.9K

1244.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$170 ₹16.3K

920.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$893 ₹85.7K

211.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$525 ₹50.4K

335.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$460 ₹44.2K

-63.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.86

55.53%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sikkim: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $120 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 174% 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $10.00 in Sikkim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $97.0 – 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 289%, 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 $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $528 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 $36.00 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 $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $352 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 $352, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. 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.