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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $442 in Tansen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $732 in Tansen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,022 in Tansen.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 219% more expensive than in Tansen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Tansen is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$1.86 NPR 287

85.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$18.56 NPR 2,862

74.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$6.47 NPR 997

-25.19%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.90 NPR 292

44.74%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.50 NPR 77.2

176.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.19 NPR 29.71

294.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.57 NPR 397

16.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$3.69 NPR 569

4.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$0.84 NPR 129

107.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.60 NPR 92.3

310.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.01 NPR 156

15.84%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.78 NPR 274

36.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$8.90 NPR 1,372

62.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$3.16 NPR 487

37.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$5.96 NPR 920

101.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.21 NPR 340

68.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.04 NPR 161

56.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.21 NPR 186

126.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$0.69 NPR 106

224.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.51 NPR 79.1

276.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.68 NPR 105

235.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.53 NPR 81.6

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.25 NPR 38.25

188.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$2.93 NPR 452

12.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$9.04 NPR 1,394

156.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.34 NPR 361

18.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$3.36 NPR 518

-18.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.20 NPR 30.46

35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$2.20 NPR 339

-78.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$1.05 NPR 162

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$3.62 NPR 558

71.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.23 NPR 190

-34.15%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$31.6K NPR 4.9M

-15.74%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$41.4K NPR 6.4M

-22.16%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$32.83 NPR 5,062

138.65%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$4.99 NPR 769

-18.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$9.61 NPR 1,483

153.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$18.52 NPR 2,856

432.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$3.30 NPR 509

20.91%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$91.8 NPR 14.2K

232.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$3,794 NPR 585.1K

75.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$25.01 NPR 3,856

116.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$28.04 NPR 4,325

34.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$57.6 NPR 8,878

50.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$40.16 NPR 6,193

90.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$104 NPR 16.0K

854.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$63.6 NPR 9,813

957.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$207 NPR 31.9K

1531.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$146 NPR 22.5K

1305.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

12.08

9.93%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Tansen: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $104 in Tansen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $19.00 in Tansen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $156 per month, with Tansen 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 Tansen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tansen wins on cost – living expenses run 219% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tansen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,112 in Ubud, Bali and $662 in Tansen 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $104 in Tansen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 90% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $442 in Tansen – a 219% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $442 in Tansen versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tansen but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Tansen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tansen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $442 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tansen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Tansen 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 Tansen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 219% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.