Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Surabaya

For one person, living is cheaper in Surabaya: $674 a month against $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

66

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Surabaya
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Surabaya Living Index

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Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,353

/mo nomad

Surabaya

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$674

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Surabaya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Surabaya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,353 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $674 in Surabaya, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $1,353
Surabaya $674

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,173 in Surabaya, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $2,297
Surabaya $1,173

A family of three spends $3,241 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,672 in Surabaya, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $3,241
Surabaya $1,672

Ubud, Bali costs about 101% more than Surabaya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Surabaya is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

$1.63 Rp 29.3K

98.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.88 Rp 627.8K

$11.26 Rp 202.7K

209.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.70 Rp 102.5K

$3.14 Rp 56.5K

81.53%

Cappuccino

$2.62 Rp 47.1K

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

67.95%

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

$1.72 Rp 31.0K

$0.55 Rp 9,867

212.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.26 Rp 4,619

211.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 Rp 47.7K

$2.16 Rp 38.9K

22.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 Rp 78.6K

$4.14 Rp 74.5K

5.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

25.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 Rp 39.5K

$1.27 Rp 22.9K

72.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

42.17%

Eggs

$2.16 Rp 38.8K

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

83.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.65 Rp 317.7K

$7.75 Rp 139.4K

127.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 68.0K

$3.08 Rp 55.5K

22.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.95 Rp 215.1K

$7.75 Rp 139.4K

54.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 Rp 64.8K

$2.02 Rp 36.3K

78.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

$1.29 Rp 23.2K

23.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

$1.89 Rp 34.0K

22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.49 Rp 26.9K

28.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.36 Rp 24.4K

30.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$1.90 Rp 34.2K

22.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 Rp 18.0K

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

12.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Rp 9,509

$0.39 Rp 7,029

35.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 Rp 41.1K

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

15.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.07 Rp 397.3K

$25.14 Rp 452.5K

-12.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 Rp 42.2K

$1.74 Rp 31.3K

35.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 Rp 53.6K

$2.83 Rp 50.9K

5.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 Rp 4,112

$0.35 Rp 6,237

-34.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.90 Rp 160.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,466

$0.46 Rp 8,282

2.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,737

$0.42 Rp 7,542

2.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 Rp 98.4K

$2.58 Rp 46.4K

112.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

-5.68%

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

$23.9K Rp 429.8M

$24.6K Rp 443.1M

-3.01%

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

$32.8K Rp 590.1M

$32.3K Rp 581.0M

1.57%

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

$80.0 Rp 1.4M

$87.3 Rp 1.6M

-8.39%

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

$6.56 Rp 118.1K

$4.57 Rp 82.2K

43.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.60 Rp 334.8K

$19.05 Rp 342.9K

-2.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 Rp 974.1K

$17.92 Rp 322.6K

202.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.28 Rp 329.0K

$6.66 Rp 119.9K

174.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 Rp 76.5K

$2.64 Rp 47.5K

60.98%

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

$493 Rp 8.9M

$277 Rp 5.0M

77.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,597 Rp 100.7M

$9,324 Rp 167.8M

-39.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.58 Rp 820.4K

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

-35.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 Rp 629.4K

$38.58 Rp 694.4K

-9.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 Rp 1.4M

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

-3.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 Rp 1.4M

$75.1 Rp 1.4M

4.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 Rp 20.4M

$282 Rp 5.1M

300.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$144 Rp 2.6M

366.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,613 Rp 65.0M

$1,238 Rp 22.3M

191.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 Rp 30.6M

$601 Rp 10.8M

183.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,717 Rp 48.9M

$2,161 Rp 38.9M

25.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,241 Rp 40.3M

$1,072 Rp 19.3M

109.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 Rp 3.0M

$271 Rp 4.9M

-38.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

7.5

83.73%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ubud, Bali

$673 49.7%

Surabaya

$144 21.4% 78.6% $529

Groceries & Markets

Ubud, Bali

$287 21.2%

Surabaya

$209 31% 27.3% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Ubud, Bali

$107 7.9%

Surabaya

$119 17.7% 12.1% $13

Eating Out

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.9%

Surabaya

$63 9.4% 40.4% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ubud, Bali

$105 7.8%

Surabaya

$111 16.5% 5.5% $5.8

Sport & Entertainment

Ubud, Bali

$63 4.6%

Surabaya

$23 3.4% 63% $39

Getting Around

Ubud, Bali

$12 0.9%

Surabaya

$3.9 * 0.6% 68.3% $8.5

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,131 in Ubud, Bali versus $282 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 63% 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 $35.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $11.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $209 – making Surabaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Surabaya

🕒 Local time

22:24 10:24 PM

21:24 9:24 PM

1 h behind Ubud, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,800

2,765,487

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Ubud, Bali Surabaya 310 km

From you

Ubud, Bali
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, $674 in Surabaya – roughly 101% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,030 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,011 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,353 in Ubud, Bali and $674 in Surabaya. That's a gap of about 101%.

Kindergarten costs $493 per month in Ubud, Bali and $277 in Surabaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surabaya, where all-in costs run around $674, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,353. 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 $674 in Surabaya to $1,353 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.