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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,395 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,166 in Stafford.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,559 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,265 in Stafford.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,724 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,364 in Stafford.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 36% less than in Stafford, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 4% above, Stafford 61% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Stafford
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.48 Rp 59.7K
$20.18 £14.96
-82.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.88 Rp 564.0K
$74.7 £55.3
-55.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.09 Rp 87.3K
$11.00 £8.15
-53.73%
Cappuccino
$2.75 Rp 47.1K
$4.87 £3.61
-43.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 Rp 23.7K
$2.09 £1.55
-33.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 Rp 12.2K
$1.76 £1.30
-59.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.88 Rp 49.4K
$3.83 £2.84
-24.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.87 Rp 66.4K
$4.11 £3.05
-5.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Stafford
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.79 Rp 30.7K
$1.71 £1.27
4.68%
White Bread (500g)
$2.45 Rp 42.0K
$1.73 £1.28
41.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.21 Rp 20.7K
$1.88 £1.40
-35.64%
Eggs
$2.39 Rp 40.9K
$3.58 £2.65
-33.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.70 Rp 252.1K
$12.00 £8.89
22.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.24 Rp 72.7K
$5.58 £4.13
-24.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.08 Rp 207.1K
$9.63 £7.14
25.44%
Apples (1kg)
$3.66 Rp 62.9K
$3.32 £2.46
10.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 Rp 27.6K
$1.38 £1.03
16.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.72 Rp 46.6K
$3.94 £2.92
-30.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 Rp 39.0K
$4.23 £3.14
-46.34%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 Rp 32.6K
$1.39 £1.03
36.69%
Onion (1kg)
$2.30 Rp 39.4K
$1.32 £0.98
74.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 Rp 17.4K
$1.27 £0.94
-19.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 Rp 13.4K
$1.50 £1.11
-48.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.24 Rp 55.7K
$13.71 £10.16
-76.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.06 Rp 412.7K
$9.22 £6.83
160.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.84 Rp 48.7K
$2.57 £1.90
10.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 Rp 47.8K
$3.55 £2.63
-21.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Stafford
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,610
$4.29 £3.18
-93.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.24 Rp 141.4K
$88.5 £65.6
-90.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 7,708
$5.51 £4.08
-91.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,305
$1.57 £1.17
-72.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.02 Rp 103.3K
$34.61 £25.65
-82.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 Rp 14.7K
$1.96 £1.45
-56.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K Rp 447.1M
$38.9K £28.8K
-32.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 543.7M
$40.9K £30.3K
-22.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Stafford
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.3 Rp 1.3M
$293 £217
-73.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.00 Rp 68.5K
$19.82 £14.68
-79.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.35 Rp 417.7K
$42.69 £31.63
-42.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Stafford
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$95.8 Rp 1.6M
$43.57 £32.29
119.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.46 Rp 110.7K
$19.64 £14.55
-67.11%
Cinema Ticket
$4.01 Rp 68.7K
$13.75 £10.19
-70.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Stafford
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$302 Rp 5.2M
$1,963 £1,455
-84.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,545 Rp 112.3M
$20.6K £15.3K
-68.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Stafford
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 Rp 916.3K
$72.5 £53.7
-26.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.55 Rp 661.2K
$41.39 £30.67
-6.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.1 Rp 1.5M
$87.3 £64.7
2.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 Rp 1.4M
$33.46 £24.80
135.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Stafford
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,016 Rp 17.4M
$1,140 £845
-10.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$672 Rp 11.5M
$965 £715
-30.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,368 Rp 57.8M
$1,610 £1,193
109.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,108 Rp 36.2M
$1,661 £1,231
26.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,001 Rp 51.5M
$3,904 £2,893
-23.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,337 Rp 40.1M
$3,460 £2,564
-32.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Stafford
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$178 Rp 3.0M
$3,014 £2,233
-94.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
5.5
141.45%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 12, 2026

Last update for Stafford: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,016 in Ubud, Bali and $1,140 in Stafford. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stafford pays 1598% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33 in Ubud, Bali vs $75 in Stafford. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $279, with Stafford cheaper for home cooking.

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 Stafford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Stafford?
Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Stafford. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or Stafford?
On paper, Stafford earns 1598% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali vs Stafford?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,016 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,140 in Stafford. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or Stafford?
Shoppers in Stafford pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Ubud, Bali vs Stafford?
Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $75.0 in Stafford. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or Stafford?
At $1,395 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,166 in Stafford, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Stafford. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Stafford?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,395 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Stafford?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Stafford are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Stafford. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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