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 $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,183 in Stellenbosch, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,949 in Stellenbosch, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,715 in Stellenbosch, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 16% more than Stellenbosch, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Stellenbosch is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$7.17 R 118

-52.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$36.86 R 604

-1.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$5.02 R 82.2

13.75%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.09 R 34.22

27.75%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.02 R 16.75

71.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.79 R 12.99

10.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.73 R 44.71

8.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.20 R 52.4

41.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.34 R 21.88

20.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.16 R 19.07

100.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.90 R 31.09

-41.58%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.99 R 48.99

-26.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$8.72 R 143

102.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$5.82 R 95.4

-29.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$7.54 R 123

61.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$1.74 R 28.44

113.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.44 R 23.59

10.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.77 R 28.92

28.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.58 R 25.83

23.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.09 R 17.92

75.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.52 R 24.89

53.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.37 R 22.44

-26.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$1.16 R 18.96

-52.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$3.78 R 62.0

-41.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$6.11 R 100

277.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.42 R 23.18

70.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.16 R 35.40

38.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$0.59 R 9.66

-18.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$1.52 R 24.83

-71.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$5.23 R 85.6

7.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.40 R 22.87

-42.86%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$35.7K R 585.0K

-30.16%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$31.5K R 516.7K

0.52%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$101 R 1,661

-19.68%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$30.91 R 506

-79.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$34.89 R 571

-46.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$29.26 R 479

94.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$17.14 R 281

9.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$9.09 R 149

-50.06%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$266 R 4,358

80.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$2,359 R 38.6K

142.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$53.1 R 870

-14.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$29.95 R 491

19.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$120 R 1,958

-32.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$92.1 R 1,508

-14.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$696 R 11.4K

60.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$486 R 7,960

43.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,464 R 24.0K

148.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$1,187 R 19.4K

46.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$2,620 R 42.9K

-93.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

10.7

28.79%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Stellenbosch: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $696 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 1459% 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $37.00 in Stellenbosch. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Ubud, Bali vs $204 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 16% 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 $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,775 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $37.00 in Stellenbosch. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Stellenbosch, where all-in costs run around $1,183, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. 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 $1,183 versus $1,368 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.