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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,835 in Tamarindo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,565 in Tamarindo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,294 in Tamarindo.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 23% less than in Tamarindo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Tamarindo 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$10.90 ₡4,981

-67.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$60.8 ₡27.8K

-46.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$9.28 ₡4,239

-46.66%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$3.80 ₡1,735

-28.68%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$2.01 ₡916

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$1.63 ₡746

-57.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$3.06 ₡1,397

-4.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$4.62 ₡2,111

-14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$2.05 ₡938

-11.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$2.86 ₡1,305

-11.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$2.17 ₡993

-46.54%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.91 ₡1,328

-15.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$9.75 ₡4,453

50.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$9.23 ₡4,216

-53.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$13.43 ₡6,138

-9.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$4.58 ₡2,091

-16.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.45 ₡662

7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$3.20 ₡1,461

-11.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$3.41 ₡1,560

-31.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$2.39 ₡1,093

-20.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$2.93 ₡1,340

-24.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.03 ₡473

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$2.82 ₡1,289

-72.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$4.98 ₡2,275

-33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$13.42 ₡6,131

76.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$2.41 ₡1,102

15.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.90 ₡1,327

-1.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$1.86 ₡851

-85.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$56.6 ₡25.8K

-85.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$1.88 ₡858

-75.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$1.80 ₡822

-75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$5.88 ₡2,688

3.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.47 ₡670

-46.26%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$36.3K ₡16.6M

-27.95%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$33.2K ₡15.1M

-3.13%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$93.0 ₡42.5K

-14.00%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$21.75 ₡9,936

-81.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$52.8 ₡24.1K

-55.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$98.4 ₡45.0K

0.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$23.78 ₡10.9K

-72.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$7.15 ₡3,269

-41.96%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$521 ₡237.9K

-41.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$8,958 ₡4.1M

-26.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$63.6 ₡29.1K

-12.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$24.27 ₡11.1K

57.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$111 ₡50.8K

-20.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$107 ₡49.0K

-27.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$1,788 ₡816.7K

-43.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$787 ₡359.4K

-14.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$2,948 ₡1.3M

16.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$891 ₡406.9K

128.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$5,451 ₡2.5M

-47.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$3,201 ₡1.5M

-29.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$928 ₡424.1K

-82.20%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tamarindo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $1,788 in Tamarindo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tamarindo pays 462% 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: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $61.0 in Tamarindo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $342 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 ($1,419 vs $1,835 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Tamarindo earns 462% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,788 in Tamarindo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% 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 $33.00 versus $61.0 in Tamarindo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,835 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.