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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $617 in Swakopmund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,123 in Swakopmund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,629 in Swakopmund.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 123% more expensive than in Swakopmund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Swakopmund is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.8K

$6.32 NAD 101

-47.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 631.6K

$37.29 NAD 596

-3.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.3K

$3.76 NAD 60.0

49.73%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$1.93 NAD 30.81

46.11%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.76 NAD 12.22

130.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.1K

$0.60 NAD 9.65

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.7K

$1.38 NAD 21.98

120.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.8K

$1.83 NAD 29.16

134.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.4K

$2.30 NAD 36.76

-30.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 40.0K

$1.47 NAD 23.46

54.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.31 NAD 36.92

-6.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.9K

$8.02 NAD 128

119.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.8K

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$3.64 NAD 58.2

-0.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.59 NAD 25.45

3.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$2.23 NAD 35.64

-12.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.8K

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,573

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.9K

$8.41 NAD 134

174.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.61 NAD 9.74

283.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,371

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 166.1K

$31.14 NAD 497

-69.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,643

$0.84 NAD 13.39

-41.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,361

$0.91 NAD 14.55

-48.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.8K

$7.38 NAD 118

-24.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.29 NAD 20.64

-37.21%

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

$25.0K Rp 441.0M

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

$31.1K Rp 547.7M

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$57.4 NAD 918

44.01%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 331.3K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 974.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 321.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.8K

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 816.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 642.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$74.5 NAD 1,190

5.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$434 NAD 6,934

156.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$255 NAD 4,070

172.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.2M

$934 NAD 14.9K

289.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.2M

$738 NAD 11.8K

131.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Swakopmund: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $434 in Swakopmund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $37.00 in Swakopmund. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $130, with Swakopmund cheaper for home cooking.

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 Swakopmund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swakopmund is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 123% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,067 in Ubud, Bali and $925 in Swakopmund to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $434 in Swakopmund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Swakopmund – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Swakopmund runs roughly 231% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $617 in Swakopmund versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Swakopmund but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Swakopmund the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Swakopmund is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Swakopmund are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Swakopmund gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.