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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,055 in Stellenbosch, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,739 in Stellenbosch, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,423 in Stellenbosch, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 32% more than Stellenbosch, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Stellenbosch is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$8.53 R 140

-58.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$33.74 R 555

-4.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$4.26 R 70.2

17.61%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$1.82 R 30.01

54.95%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.80 R 13.11

68.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.59 R 9.64

23.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.22 R 36.52

31.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.19 R 36.06

79.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$0.90 R 14.80

97.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.78 R 12.92

214.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.45 R 23.82

-20.69%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.91 R 31.46

26.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$6.95 R 114

106.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$4.70 R 77.4

-10.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$7.47 R 123

61.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$1.08 R 17.80

237.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.27 R 20.95

23.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$0.75 R 12.28

272.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.39 R 22.95

61.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$0.81 R 13.40

144.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.22 R 20.13

86.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.97 R 15.99

8.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.84 R 13.83

-5.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$2.87 R 47.22

11.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$5.92 R 97.5

296.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.35 R 22.27

114.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$1.77 R 29.06

55.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$1.09 R 17.96

-75.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$8.19 R 135

2.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.41 R 23.29

-68.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.93 R 15.35

-50.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$2.73 R 44.92

122.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.19 R 19.58

-27.73%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$13.0K R 214.8K

103.79%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$24.0K R 394.6K

35.79%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$94.1 R 1,549

-16.03%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$28.66 R 472

-85.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$40.64 R 669

-41.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$35.34 R 582

179.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$2.88 R 47.37

120.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$5.47 R 90.0

-26.69%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$210 R 3,450

41.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$1,329 R 21.9K

396.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$44.23 R 728

20.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$19.37 R 319

96.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$99.8 R 1,642

-11.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$57.1 R 940

34.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$552 R 9,082

84.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$452 R 7,446

50.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$1,351 R 22.2K

156.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$1,071 R 17.6K

95.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$3,095 R 50.9K

-94.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.77

12.83%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Stellenbosch: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $552 in Stellenbosch. 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 1791% higher in Stellenbosch, 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 $34.00 in Stellenbosch. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $161 in Stellenbosch – so Stellenbosch wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Stellenbosch: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 32% more than Stellenbosch, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,583 in Stellenbosch. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stellenbosch, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,392 in Ubud, Bali and $1,055 in Stellenbosch. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Stellenbosch. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Stellenbosch, where all-in costs run around $1,055, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. In Stellenbosch it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Stellenbosch costs $1,055 versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Stellenbosch. 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.