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 $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,062 in Stellenbosch, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,752 in Stellenbosch, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,441 in Stellenbosch, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 35% more than Stellenbosch, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% 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 61.9K

$8.51 R 143

-58.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$33.68 R 565

-3.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$4.09 R 68.6

23.96%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$1.81 R 30.27

56.35%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.80 R 13.50

67.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.58 R 9.67

18.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.17 R 36.47

37.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.18 R 36.55

76.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$0.88 R 14.79

97.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.76 R 12.71

234.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.47 R 24.73

-19.05%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.00 R 33.58

21.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$7.04 R 118

108.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$4.49 R 75.3

-6.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$7.42 R 124

60.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$1.05 R 17.54

251.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.24 R 20.75

29.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$0.80 R 13.42

236.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.34 R 22.49

73.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.81 R 13.53

135.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.22 R 20.53

79.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.96 R 16.13

10.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.84 R 14.05

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$2.90 R 48.71

7.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$6.16 R 103

281.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.41 R 23.66

94.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$1.74 R 29.25

65.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$1.10 R 18.39

-73.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$8.17 R 137

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.44 R 24.08

-68.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.95 R 15.85

-55.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$2.84 R 47.56

116.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.25 R 21.00

-32.80%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$13.0K R 217.9K

102.01%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$23.7K R 397.8K

36.91%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$95.4 R 1,599

-17.76%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$28.17 R 472

-85.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$40.90 R 686

-40.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$36.14 R 606

167.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$2.87 R 48.18

121.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$5.65 R 94.7

-28.50%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$205 R 3,440

47.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$1,349 R 22.6K

383.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$45.35 R 760

18.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$19.31 R 324

96.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$99.8 R 1,673

-13.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$56.7 R 951

39.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$562 R 9,429

80.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$440 R 7,371

53.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$1,321 R 22.1K

156.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$1,066 R 17.9K

96.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$2,417 R 40.5K

-92.84%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Stellenbosch: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $562 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 1296% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $34.00 in Stellenbosch. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $160 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 35% 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 $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,593 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 $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $1,062 in Stellenbosch. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% 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 $1,062, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. 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 $1,062 versus $1,438 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.