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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $438 in Tansen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $728 in Tansen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,018 in Tansen.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 224% more expensive than Tansen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Tansen is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$1.81 NPR 275

96.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$18.60 NPR 2,830

75.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$6.53 NPR 993

-24.20%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.84 NPR 281

47.28%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.50 NPR 76.2

168.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.19 NPR 28.51

268.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.64 NPR 402

10.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$3.59 NPR 547

10.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$0.83 NPR 126

118.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.56 NPR 84.8

350.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.98 NPR 149

18.37%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.78 NPR 272

38.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$8.90 NPR 1,355

65.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$3.19 NPR 486

35.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$6.21 NPR 946

95.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.20 NPR 335

74.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.10 NPR 167

41.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.24 NPR 189

128.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$0.69 NPR 105

237.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.52 NPR 78.5

267.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.67 NPR 102

228.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.53 NPR 81.3

90.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.27 NPR 41.29

188.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$2.99 NPR 455

11.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$7.93 NPR 1,206

199.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$2.33 NPR 355

19.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$3.26 NPR 496

-12.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.17 NPR 26.35

58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$2.21 NPR 336

-79.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$1.11 NPR 168

-59.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$3.70 NPR 564

64.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.23 NPR 188

-35.77%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$31.5K NPR 4.8M

-17.10%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$41.3K NPR 6.3M

-22.25%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$33.43 NPR 5,088

139.13%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$4.97 NPR 756

-18.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$9.72 NPR 1,480

141.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$18.41 NPR 2,802

436.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$3.18 NPR 485

30.50%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$93.0 NPR 14.2K

226.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$3,784 NPR 576.0K

74.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$24.91 NPR 3,792

122.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$27.84 NPR 4,238

37.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$58.3 NPR 8,878

51.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$40.12 NPR 6,106

94.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$105 NPR 16.0K

854.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$64.0 NPR 9,746

954.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$203 NPR 31.0K

1592.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$147 NPR 22.4K

1285.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tansen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $105 in Tansen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $19.00 in Tansen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $155 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 224% 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 $2,129 in Ubud, Bali and $657 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $105 in Tansen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 95% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $438 in Tansen – a 224% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $438 in Tansen versus $1,419 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 $438 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 224% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.