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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,116 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,868 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,619 in Taichung.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 23% more expensive than in Taichung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Taichung is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$4.69 NT$149

-26.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$31.50 NT$1,003

15.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$4.71 NT$150

21.23%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.84 NT$90.4

-5.99%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.98 NT$31.26

78.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.77 NT$24.66

12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$1.57 NT$49.97

87.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$2.79 NT$88.8

62.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$3.31 NT$105

-51.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.72 NT$54.9

35.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$2.64 NT$84.2

-57.95%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.63 NT$83.6

-16.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$28.72 NT$914

-38.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$7.70 NT$245

-46.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$16.71 NT$532

-27.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$4.24 NT$135

-12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.92 NT$61.0

-17.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.86 NT$59.3

22.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$2.21 NT$70.2

-11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.25 NT$39.85

52.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.97 NT$62.6

18.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$2.46 NT$78.2

-58.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.92 NT$29.15

-40.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$3.75 NT$120

-40.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$15.82 NT$504

45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.64 NT$52.3

47.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.56 NT$81.5

17.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.73 NT$23.24

-63.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$31.76 NT$1,011

-71.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$2.69 NT$85.7

-82.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.98 NT$31.20

-56.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$9.64 NT$307

-41.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.06 NT$33.59

-24.53%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$33.7K NT$1.1M

-25.94%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$23.2K NT$738.9K

36.61%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$108 NT$3,429

-24.38%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$14.98 NT$477

-56.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$21.66 NT$689

-13.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$32.20 NT$1,025

76.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$13.29 NT$423

40.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$9.69 NT$308

-53.15%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$343 NT$10.9K

40.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$17.2K NT$546.1K

-66.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$68.9 NT$2,193

-33.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$36.40 NT$1,159

-1.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$83.3 NT$2,650

-3.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$112 NT$3,577

-29.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$405 NT$12.9K

175.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$280 NT$8,918

149.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,190 NT$37.9K

205.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$763 NT$24.3K

127.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$7,101 NT$226.0K

-60.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$5,181 NT$164.9K

-55.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$1,407 NT$44.8K

-88.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

2.27

507.05%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Taichung: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $405 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taichung pays 738% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $32.00 in Taichung. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $371, with Ubud, Bali 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 Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taichung wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taichung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 738% lower in Taichung. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $405 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Taichung – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,116 in Taichung – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,116 in Taichung versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taichung but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Taichung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Taichung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,116 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Taichung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Taichung 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 Taichung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.