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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $664 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,080 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,495 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 111% more than Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$2.75 ¥18.59

29.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$22.67 ¥153

43.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$4.77 ¥32.26

1.89%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$3.01 ¥20.34

-8.64%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.41 ¥2.80

221.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.26 ¥1.76

169.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$0.80 ¥5.43

263.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$1.42 ¥9.58

166.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$2.29 ¥15.52

-25.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.08 ¥7.28

128.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$0.76 ¥5.17

57.89%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.54 ¥10.42

58.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$9.34 ¥63.2

53.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$2.77 ¥18.70

55.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$5.61 ¥37.90

117.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.14 ¥14.47

71.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.41 ¥9.54

9.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.57 ¥10.64

77.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.17 ¥7.90

99.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$0.86 ¥5.79

129.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$0.80 ¥5.41

188.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.88 ¥5.94

20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.60 ¥4.09

21.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$3.26 ¥22.06

0.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$13.54 ¥91.6

68.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$0.86 ¥5.80

226.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.42 ¥9.61

95.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.27 ¥1.82

7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$16.69 ¥113

-51.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.57 ¥10.65

-71.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.36 ¥2.40

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$8.35 ¥56.4

-25.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.10 ¥7.42

-22.73%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$16.5K ¥111.6K

57.46%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$14.6K ¥98.9K

116.40%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$17.72 ¥120

355.70%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$10.84 ¥73.3

-62.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$11.20 ¥75.7

118.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$54.7 ¥370

78.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$13.85 ¥93.7

-53.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$5.49 ¥37.15

-26.41%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$280 ¥1,892

8.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$16.7K ¥112.6K

-60.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$42.18 ¥285

28.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$33.26 ¥225

16.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$54.8 ¥371

57.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$56.6 ¥383

35.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$274 ¥1,850

260.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$184 ¥1,245

257.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$598 ¥4,042

463.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$362 ¥2,448

470.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$2,958 ¥20.0K

-7.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$1,789 ¥12.1K

24.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

3.87

243.15%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $274 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $23.00 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $182 – 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 111%, 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 $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $996 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 $1,404 in Ubud, Bali and $664 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 107% 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 $664, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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.