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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $351 in Tansen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $579 in Tansen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $807 in Tansen.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 298% more expensive than in Tansen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Tansen is 74% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$1.93 NPR 293

74.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$20.71 NPR 3,133

86.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$6.64 NPR 1,005

-16.87%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$1.55 NPR 234

70.32%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$0.55 NPR 83.4

203.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.14 NPR 20.77

450.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$3.31 NPR 501

-20.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$3.39 NPR 512

26.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$0.76 NPR 114

103.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$0.63 NPR 95.3

252.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$0.92 NPR 140

22.83%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$1.63 NPR 247

28.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$7.36 NPR 1,113

136.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$3.33 NPR 504

16.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

$5.50 NPR 831

128.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$2.12 NPR 320

70.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.10 NPR 166

41.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$1.36 NPR 206

72.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$0.58 NPR 88.2

255.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$0.39 NPR 58.7

387.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.55 NPR 83.6

325.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.48 NPR 73.3

114.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$0.25 NPR 37.85

120.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$2.65 NPR 400

-15.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$8.10 NPR 1,225

193.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$2.26 NPR 341

2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$2.85 NPR 432

-1.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$1.92 NPR 290

-75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.33 NPR 202

-66.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$3.34 NPR 506

71.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.34 NPR 203

-43.28%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

$29.0K NPR 4.4M

-15.69%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$37.1K NPR 5.6M

-13.37%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$31.35 NPR 4,742

166.51%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$3.35 NPR 506

92.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

$8.04 NPR 1,216

136.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$2.92 NPR 441

46.58%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$65.3 NPR 9,871

645.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$4,894 NPR 740.4K

19.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$26.51 NPR 4,011

71.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$28.68 NPR 4,339

26.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$66.5 NPR 10.1K

23.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$29.56 NPR 4,472

171.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.72

41.77%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Tansen: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $21.00 in Tansen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $145 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 298% 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 $2,095 in Ubud, Bali and $527 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 102% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $351 in Tansen – a 298% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $351 in Tansen versus $1,396 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 $351 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 298% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.