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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $969 in Suzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,586 in Suzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,204 in Suzhou, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 45% more than Suzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Suzhou is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

$4.11 ¥27.84

-16.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

$41.41 ¥280

-21.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

$5.52 ¥37.33

-12.32%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

$3.85 ¥26.07

-28.57%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$1.69 ¥11.41

-18.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$0.78 ¥5.26

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

$4.23 ¥28.64

-29.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

$5.42 ¥36.68

-28.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$2.43 ¥16.46

-28.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

$2.39 ¥16.17

2.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$1.12 ¥7.59

4.46%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

$2.06 ¥13.92

17.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

$20.81 ¥141

-30.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

$3.74 ¥25.29

16.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

$7.59 ¥51.4

57.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

$2.12 ¥14.32

75.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$1.58 ¥10.67

3.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

$1.57 ¥10.65

74.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

$1.31 ¥8.86

70.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

$0.68 ¥4.63

182.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

$1.15 ¥7.76

98.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

$0.99 ¥6.73

7.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.51 ¥3.43

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

$4.09 ¥27.67

-19.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

$10.36 ¥70.1

123.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

$0.87 ¥5.87

219.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

$2.75 ¥18.58

-0.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,765

$0.29 ¥1.98

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

$42.18 ¥285

-80.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,636

$1.78 ¥12.03

-73.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,511

$0.33 ¥2.22

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

$8.56 ¥57.9

-27.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.14 ¥7.71

-28.95%

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

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

$21.2K ¥143.5K

25.48%

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

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

$23.9K ¥162.0K

34.50%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$118 ¥801

-33.78%

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

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

$15.12 ¥102

-73.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

$11.46 ¥77.5

112.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$64.7 ¥438

52.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

$19.10 ¥129

-66.81%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

$6.80 ¥46.03

-41.32%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$781 ¥5,286

-60.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

$17.0K ¥115.2K

-60.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

$53.2 ¥360

1.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

$35.25 ¥239

7.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$72.3 ¥489

20.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$93.8 ¥635

-18.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.7M

$403 ¥2,727

146.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.0M

$206 ¥1,392

226.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

$966 ¥6,541

249.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

$527 ¥3,567

288.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

$5,406 ¥36.6K

-48.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

$2,701 ¥18.3K

-17.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$1,338 ¥9,056

-87.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

3.86

244.04%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Suzhou: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $403 in Suzhou. 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 701% higher in Suzhou, 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 $41.00 in Suzhou. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $243 in Suzhou – so Suzhou 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 Suzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $969 in Suzhou – roughly 45% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,454 in Suzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Suzhou, 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 $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $969 in Suzhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 420% less in Suzhou. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Suzhou, where all-in costs run around $969, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Suzhou 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 $969 in Suzhou 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 Suzhou. 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.