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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $702 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,117 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,532 in Surabaya, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 100% more than Surabaya, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Surabaya is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

118.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$12.11 Rp 217.6K

167.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$3.05 Rp 54.9K

58.69%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

52.78%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

115.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.28 Rp 5,048

167.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.40 Rp 43.2K

24.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$4.09 Rp 73.5K

-5.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

64.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

24.47%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

62.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$9.24 Rp 166.1K

56.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$3.19 Rp 57.3K

36.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$8.13 Rp 146.0K

47.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.41 Rp 43.3K

54.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

4.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

24.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

49.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

44.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

31.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

-10.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.45 Rp 8,091

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

34.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$25.13 Rp 451.6K

-7.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.86 Rp 33.5K

49.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$3.31 Rp 59.5K

-17.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.44 Rp 7,860

-38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$9.48 Rp 170.4K

-14.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$0.48 Rp 8,592

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.31 Rp 5,615

35.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

127.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

-5.81%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$20.5K Rp 368.6M

29.73%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$35.0K Rp 629.7M

-8.14%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-5.56%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$4.31 Rp 77.5K

-5.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$19.61 Rp 352.5K

24.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$21.82 Rp 392.2K

351.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$4.59 Rp 82.6K

38.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

39.02%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$186 Rp 3.3M

64.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$9,556 Rp 171.7M

-30.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

-13.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$38.85 Rp 698.2K

-2.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

11.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

-8.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$244 Rp 4.4M

306.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$136 Rp 2.4M

395.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$792 Rp 14.2M

326.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$399 Rp 7.2M

414.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$2,202 Rp 39.6M

27.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$1,045 Rp 18.8M

113.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$269 Rp 4.8M

-37.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

8.33

59.42%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $244 in Surabaya. 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 61% higher in Surabaya, 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 $12.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $228 – making Surabaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $702 in Surabaya – roughly 100% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,054 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 30% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $12.00 in Surabaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surabaya, where all-in costs run around $702, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Surabaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $702 in Surabaya to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Surabaya. 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.