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 $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $688 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,205 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,722 in Surabaya, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 103% more than Surabaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Surabaya is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

103.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$11.40 Rp 201.0K

238.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$3.24 Rp 57.2K

70.37%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

69.23%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$0.56 Rp 9,841

198.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.26 Rp 4,572

196.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

16.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

-2.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.21 Rp 21.4K

28.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

65.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

31.40%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$1.21 Rp 21.2K

72.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$7.80 Rp 137.5K

122.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$2.96 Rp 52.2K

30.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

$7.87 Rp 138.8K

59.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

79.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

17.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$1.87 Rp 32.9K

25.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$1.52 Rp 26.9K

35.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

38.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.93 Rp 34.0K

21.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$0.40 Rp 7,050

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

14.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$25.35 Rp 447.0K

-6.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.71 Rp 30.1K

35.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$2.89 Rp 50.9K

-3.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.36 Rp 6,271

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$0.47 Rp 8,334

2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.47 Rp 8,293

-4.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

111.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

-5.00%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

$24.7K Rp 435.5M

-0.89%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$33.1K Rp 583.3M

-2.91%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

-6.04%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$4.83 Rp 85.2K

33.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

$19.84 Rp 349.7K

-4.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

$18.57 Rp 327.4K

201.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

$6.54 Rp 115.3K

184.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

61.51%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$286 Rp 5.0M

70.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$9,694 Rp 170.9M

-39.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

-36.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$39.47 Rp 695.8K

-7.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

0.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

7.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$290 Rp 5.1M

285.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$150 Rp 2.6M

368.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$1,276 Rp 22.5M

177.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$618 Rp 10.9M

185.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

26.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$1,073 Rp 18.9M

113.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$277 Rp 4.9M

-38.76%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $290 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $11.00 in Surabaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $211 – 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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, $688 in Surabaya – roughly 103% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,032 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 $1,396 in Ubud, Bali and $688 in Surabaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $487 per month in Ubud, Bali and $286 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 $688, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. 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 $688 in Surabaya to $1,396 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.