Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sun City Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sun City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,008 in Sun City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,591 in Sun City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,174 in Sun City, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 43% more than Sun City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Sun City is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$10.99 R 184

-67.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$45.62 R 765

-28.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$4.96 R 83.1

2.22%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.22 R 37.28

27.48%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$1.02 R 17.18

31.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.76 R 12.76

-9.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.74 R 45.89

9.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.49 R 41.73

54.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.09 R 18.27

59.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.75 R 12.53

238.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.66 R 27.80

-28.31%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.45 R 41.16

-0.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$8.05 R 135

82.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$4.83 R 80.9

-13.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$6.79 R 114

75.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$1.67 R 28.01

120.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.52 R 25.46

5.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.52 R 25.50

76.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.59 R 26.72

46.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.49 R 24.99

28.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.45 R 24.38

51.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.06 R 17.76

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.96 R 16.06

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$3.05 R 51.1

2.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$5.94 R 99.7

295.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.35 R 22.66

102.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$1.65 R 27.64

74.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$1.61 R 26.92

-81.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.09 R 18.34

-58.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.91 R 15.22

-53.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$3.99 R 66.9

54.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.29 R 21.58

-34.88%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$22.3K R 373.8K

17.75%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$24.0K R 402.0K

35.49%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$96.7 R 1,622

-18.93%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$40.11 R 673

-90.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$43.32 R 727

-43.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$30.75 R 516

213.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$3.04 R 51.1

32.89%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$210 R 3,522

44.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$4,957 R 83.1K

31.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$50.3 R 844

6.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$33.58 R 563

13.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$67.3 R 1,128

28.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$77.2 R 1,294

2.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$364 R 6,099

178.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$337 R 5,657

99.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$698 R 11.7K

385.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$684 R 11.5K

206.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$701 R 11.8K

325.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$714 R 12.0K

227.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$1,512 R 25.4K

-88.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.51

15.38%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Sun City: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $364 in Sun City. 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 774% higher in Sun City, 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 $46.00 in Sun City. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $180 in Sun City – so Sun City 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 Sun City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 43% more than Sun City, 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 $1,511 in Sun City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sun City, 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 $1,008 in Sun City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Ubud, Bali and $210 in Sun City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sun City, where all-in costs run around $1,008, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In Sun City 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. Sun City costs $1,008 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 Sun City. 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.