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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,282 in Skien, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,202 in Skien, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $4,122 in Skien, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 38% cheaper than Skien, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Skien sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 6%, Skien by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$28.96 NOK 269

-87.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$101 NOK 935

-67.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$13.26 NOK 123

-62.67%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$4.88 NOK 45.35

-44.47%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$2.47 NOK 22.94

-45.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$2.19 NOK 20.38

-68.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$9.05 NOK 84.0

-67.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$9.67 NOK 89.8

-59.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$2.02 NOK 18.73

-10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$3.30 NOK 30.67

-23.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$3.15 NOK 29.30

-63.17%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$4.20 NOK 39.01

-41.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$11.36 NOK 106

29.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$14.22 NOK 132

-69.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$25.44 NOK 236

-52.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$3.76 NOK 34.89

2.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$2.32 NOK 21.55

-32.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$3.30 NOK 30.63

-14.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$4.02 NOK 37.36

-42.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$2.29 NOK 21.26

-16.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$2.16 NOK 20.07

1.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$2.94 NOK 27.36

-65.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.89 NOK 17.55

-58.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$18.86 NOK 175

-82.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$15.87 NOK 147

49.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$3.33 NOK 30.97

-16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$3.95 NOK 36.67

-27.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$2.69 NOK 25.02

-89.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$44.33 NOK 412

-81.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$36.08 NOK 335

-98.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$1.46 NOK 13.57

-69.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$99.7 NOK 926

-93.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$2.09 NOK 19.41

-62.20%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$25.7K NOK 238.9K

1.67%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

-10.19%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$96.6 NOK 897

-17.25%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$37.34 NOK 347

-89.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$38.51 NOK 358

-38.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$38.00 NOK 353

159.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$34.76 NOK 323

-80.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$14.39 NOK 134

-71.16%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$312 NOK 2,900

-2.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$10.1K NOK 93.9K

-34.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$40.85 NOK 380

35.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$35.21 NOK 327

8.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$92.8 NOK 862

-4.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$153 NOK 1,421

-49.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$961 NOK 8,931

4.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$1,000 NOK 9,291

-32.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$1,101 NOK 10.2K

212.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$902 NOK 8,381

126.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$3,561 NOK 33.1K

-20.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$3,271 NOK 30.4K

-30.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$4,269 NOK 39.7K

-96.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

3.8

249.47%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Skien: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $961 in Skien. 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 2484% higher in Skien, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $101 in Skien. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $432 – making Ubud, Bali 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 Skien: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Skien is pricier by about 61%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $3,422 in Skien. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, 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 $101 in Skien. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $2,282 in Skien. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,419, than in Skien at $2,282. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skien it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – 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 Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Skien makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.