Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Tanjung Balai Karimun Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Tanjung Balai Karimun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $666 in Tanjung Balai Karimun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,024 in Tanjung Balai Karimun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,382 in Tanjung Balai Karimun.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 109% more expensive than in Tanjung Balai Karimun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Tanjung Balai Karimun is 50% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Tanjung Balai Karimun
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.57 Rp 64.5K
$1.56 Rp 28.1K
128.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.32 Rp 583.4K
$12.18 Rp 219.9K
165.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.01 Rp 90.4K
$3.45 Rp 62.3K
45.22%
Cappuccino
$2.82 Rp 51.0K
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
63.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 Rp 24.4K
$0.52 Rp 9,326
159.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 Rp 13.2K
$0.26 Rp 4,646
180.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.93 Rp 53.0K
$2.52 Rp 45.4K
16.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.94 Rp 71.1K
$3.56 Rp 64.2K
10.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Tanjung Balai Karimun
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
$1.23 Rp 22.2K
44.72%
White Bread (500g)
$2.45 Rp 44.2K
$1.17 Rp 21.1K
109.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.15 Rp 20.7K
$0.94 Rp 17.0K
22.34%
Eggs
$2.41 Rp 43.6K
$1.52 Rp 27.4K
58.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.33 Rp 258.7K
$8.26 Rp 149.2K
73.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.19 Rp 75.6K
$3.25 Rp 58.7K
28.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.06 Rp 217.7K
$7.75 Rp 140.0K
55.61%
Apples (1kg)
$3.64 Rp 65.7K
$2.38 Rp 42.9K
52.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$1.43 Rp 25.9K
9.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.79 Rp 50.3K
$1.85 Rp 33.4K
50.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.5K
$1.49 Rp 26.9K
50.34%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 Rp 35.7K
$1.36 Rp 24.6K
45.59%
Onion (1kg)
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
$1.97 Rp 35.6K
15.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.05 Rp 19.0K
$0.97 Rp 17.6K
8.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
$0.41 Rp 7,407
92.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.19 Rp 57.6K
$2.48 Rp 44.7K
28.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.49 Rp 424.1K
$22.96 Rp 414.6K
2.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 Rp 52.3K
$2.09 Rp 37.7K
38.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 Rp 49.7K
$3.08 Rp 55.6K
-10.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Tanjung Balai Karimun
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,813
$0.30 Rp 5,401
-10.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.37 Rp 151.1K
$9.77 Rp 176.4K
-14.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 8,167
$0.52 Rp 9,443
-13.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 Rp 8,298
$0.38 Rp 6,805
21.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.07 Rp 109.6K
$2.95 Rp 53.2K
105.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 Rp 15.6K
$0.82 Rp 14.8K
4.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K Rp 480.0M
$24.5K Rp 443.1M
8.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5K Rp 587.6M
$27.4K Rp 495.2M
18.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Tanjung Balai Karimun
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.0 Rp 1.4M
$70.7 Rp 1.3M
11.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.09 Rp 73.9K
$4.18 Rp 75.5K
-2.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.85 Rp 430.5K
$22.71 Rp 410.0K
5.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Tanjung Balai Karimun
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.8 Rp 1.8M
$23.36 Rp 421.8K
322.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.35 Rp 114.7K
$6.02 Rp 108.7K
5.48%
Cinema Ticket
$4.01 Rp 72.3K
$3.04 Rp 54.9K
31.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Tanjung Balai Karimun
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$297 Rp 5.4M
$92.4 Rp 1.7M
221.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,602 Rp 119.2M
$7,730 Rp 139.6M
-14.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Tanjung Balai Karimun
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 Rp 964.5K
$41.76 Rp 753.9K
27.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.11 Rp 688.1K
$30.97 Rp 559.1K
23.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.7 Rp 1.6M
$65.8 Rp 1.2M
34.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.6 Rp 1.4M
$74.0 Rp 1.3M
3.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Tanjung Balai Karimun
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,020 Rp 18.4M
$258 Rp 4.7M
294.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$680 Rp 12.3M
$158 Rp 2.9M
330.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,469 Rp 62.6M
$576 Rp 10.4M
502.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,090 Rp 37.7M
$334 Rp 6.0M
525.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,729 Rp 49.3M
$1,137 Rp 20.5M
140.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,295 Rp 41.4M
$626 Rp 11.3M
266.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Tanjung Balai Karimun
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$164 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
9.15
45.14%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Tanjung Balai Karimun: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $258 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $12.00 in Tanjung Balai Karimun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $213 per month, with Tanjung Balai Karimun 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 Tanjung Balai Karimun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tanjung Balai Karimun cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Tanjung Balai Karimun is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 109% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,088 in Ubud, Bali and $1,000 in Tanjung Balai Karimun to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Ubud, Bali and Tanjung Balai Karimun?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $258 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Tanjung Balai Karimun runs roughly 17% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $92.4 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ubud, Bali or in Tanjung Balai Karimun?
At $666 in Tanjung Balai Karimun versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tanjung Balai Karimun but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Tanjung Balai Karimun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ubud, Bali or Tanjung Balai Karimun more family-friendly?
For families, Tanjung Balai Karimun is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or Tanjung Balai Karimun?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Tanjung Balai Karimun are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Tanjung Balai Karimun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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