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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,813 in Tamarindo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,519 in Tamarindo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,226 in Tamarindo.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 22% less than in Tamarindo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Tamarindo 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$11.00 ₡4,907

-68.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$59.8 ₡26.7K

-45.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$9.39 ₡4,189

-48.46%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$3.91 ₡1,747

-29.67%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$2.07 ₡922

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$1.60 ₡712

-53.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$3.01 ₡1,345

-0.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$4.70 ₡2,097

-18.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.95 ₡872

-10.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.79 ₡1,245

-11.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$2.14 ₡957

-45.33%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$3.00 ₡1,340

-19.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$10.11 ₡4,511

43.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$9.26 ₡4,129

-53.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$13.45 ₡6,002

-10.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$4.60 ₡2,052

-19.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.45 ₡646

12.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$3.20 ₡1,427

-14.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$3.57 ₡1,593

-37.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$2.29 ₡1,023

-16.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$2.95 ₡1,316

-22.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.96 ₡429

10.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$2.86 ₡1,276

-74.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$5.00 ₡2,232

-34.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$13.07 ₡5,829

77.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$2.51 ₡1,122

10.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$2.94 ₡1,311

-7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$1.86 ₡830

-85.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$57.5 ₡25.7K

-85.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$1.81 ₡806

-73.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$1.79 ₡797

-76.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$5.56 ₡2,481

11.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.46 ₡651

-44.52%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$35.3K ₡15.8M

-24.64%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$32.7K ₡14.6M

-1.64%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$93.2 ₡41.6K

-15.96%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$22.43 ₡10.0K

-81.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$53.5 ₡23.9K

-54.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$99.9 ₡44.6K

-1.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$23.72 ₡10.6K

-73.27%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$7.07 ₡3,152

-43.56%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$518 ₡231.1K

-41.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$8,686 ₡3.9M

-23.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$62.0 ₡27.6K

-12.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$23.96 ₡10.7K

57.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$108 ₡48.1K

-19.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$108 ₡48.3K

-29.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$765 ₡341.4K

29.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$801 ₡357.3K

-16.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$3,042 ₡1.4M

10.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$888 ₡396.0K

130.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$5,447 ₡2.4M

-48.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$3,182 ₡1.4M

-30.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$942 ₡420.1K

-82.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

47.56%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Tamarindo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $765 in Tamarindo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tamarindo pays 464% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $60.0 in Tamarindo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $343 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

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 Tamarindo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Tamarindo differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $1,813 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 464% lower in Tamarindo. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $765 in Tamarindo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Tamarindo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $60.0 in Tamarindo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,813 in Tamarindo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Tamarindo. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Tamarindo 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Tamarindo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.