Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Surfers Paradise Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Surfers Paradise

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,802 in Surfers Paradise, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,363 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $4,498 in Surfers Paradise, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,347 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $6,193 in Surfers Paradise, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 51% cheaper than Surfers Paradise, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Surfers Paradise sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 1%, Surfers Paradise by 105%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$17.68 A$24.83

-81.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$106 A$148

-62.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$10.81 A$15.18

-48.01%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$4.24 A$5.95

-37.74%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$2.97 A$4.17

-46.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$2.48 A$3.48

-71.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$7.78 A$10.93

-64.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$7.67 A$10.77

-43.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.79 A$2.52

-13.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$2.80 A$3.93

-17.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$2.37 A$3.33

-56.54%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$5.10 A$7.16

-58.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$9.24 A$12.98

87.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$9.19 A$12.91

-56.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$15.09 A$21.19

-17.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$3.92 A$5.50

-5.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$3.06 A$4.30

-47.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$3.40 A$4.77

-33.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$4.67 A$6.56

-57.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$2.92 A$4.10

-37.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$2.50 A$3.51

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$2.48 A$3.49

-58.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$2.05 A$2.87

-72.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$37.76 A$53.0

-94.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$14.29 A$20.06

62.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$5.82 A$8.17

-58.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$4.97 A$6.98

-42.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$0.38 A$0.53

-34.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$2.25 A$3.16

-79.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$1.66 A$2.33

-72.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$36.17 A$50.8

-84.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.24 A$1.74

-38.71%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$28.8K A$40.4K

-14.59%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$29.6K A$41.6K

4.69%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$214 A$301

-61.66%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$31.34 A$44.01

-79.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$58.1 A$81.6

-68.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$68.7 A$96.4

-18.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

$14.64 A$20.55

25.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$16.29 A$22.88

-73.85%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$2,178 A$3,059

-77.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$12.8K A$17.9K

-54.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$86.1 A$121

-46.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$56.2 A$78.9

-36.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$114 A$160

-30.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$123 A$172

-34.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$1,977 A$2,777

-42.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$1,606 A$2,255

-56.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$3,905 A$5,484

-9.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$3,083 A$4,330

-44.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$5,831 A$8,188

-52.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$4,956 A$6,959

-54.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$3,295 A$4,626

-94.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.01

129.28%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Surfers Paradise: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,977 in Surfers Paradise. 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 1846% higher in Surfers Paradise, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $106 in Surfers Paradise. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $386 – making Ubud, Bali 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 Surfers Paradise: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surfers Paradise is pricier by about 103%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,069 per month in Ubud, Bali and $4,203 in Surfers Paradise. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, 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 $1,379 in Ubud, Bali and $2,802 in Surfers Paradise. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $489 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,178 in Surfers Paradise. 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 Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,379, than in Surfers Paradise at $2,802. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Surfers Paradise it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surfers Paradise makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.