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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $709 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,363 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,166 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,347 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,624 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 95% more than Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 1% above the global median, while Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$3.60 ¥24.18

-8.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$26.39 ¥177

48.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$5.12 ¥34.36

9.77%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$3.06 ¥20.54

-13.73%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$0.48 ¥3.24

229.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.33 ¥2.25

115.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$0.86 ¥5.77

217.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$1.46 ¥9.78

195.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.96 ¥13.18

-21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$1.17 ¥7.83

96.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$0.87 ¥5.84

18.39%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$1.93 ¥12.99

9.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$19.11 ¥128

-9.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$4.12 ¥27.67

-2.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$5.87 ¥39.43

111.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$2.26 ¥15.17

63.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.38 ¥9.30

17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$1.65 ¥11.07

37.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$1.38 ¥9.26

44.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$0.86 ¥5.79

112.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$0.93 ¥6.25

141.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$0.67 ¥4.49

55.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$0.58 ¥3.93

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$3.67 ¥24.62

-39.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$13.33 ¥89.6

74.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$0.75 ¥5.03

218.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$1.50 ¥10.09

91.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$0.31 ¥2.09

-19.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

$19.52 ¥131

-63.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$1.99 ¥13.35

-76.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$0.38 ¥2.58

21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$6.95 ¥46.68

-17.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.20 ¥8.07

-36.67%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$17.6K ¥118.5K

39.27%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$17.6K ¥118.4K

76.00%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$19.04 ¥128

331.57%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$10.04 ¥67.5

-36.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$11.31 ¥75.9

63.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$59.7 ¥401

-6.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

$16.06 ¥108

14.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$7.62 ¥51.2

-44.09%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$294 ¥1,976

66.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$17.5K ¥117.5K

-66.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$43.73 ¥294

5.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$43.90 ¥295

-18.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$60.2 ¥404

32.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$58.9 ¥395

37.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$320 ¥2,152

257.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$177 ¥1,190

290.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$601 ¥4,037

487.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$368 ¥2,469

364.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$2,917 ¥19.6K

-4.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$1,943 ¥13.0K

16.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

3.48

295.98%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $320 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $26.00 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $219 – making Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu 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 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 95%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,063 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 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 $709 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 172% less in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, where all-in costs run around $709, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,379. In Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu – 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 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. 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.