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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $954 in Tesanj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,390 in Tesanj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,825 in Tesanj.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 44% more expensive than in Tesanj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Tesanj is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.3K

$3.46 BAM 5.81

-3.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 626.9K

$16.42 BAM 27.59

118.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 98.5K

$2.94 BAM 4.93

91.50%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.4K

$0.91 BAM 1.53

209.89%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.6K

$1.44 BAM 2.42

21.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.86 BAM 1.44

-6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.3K

$2.07 BAM 3.48

46.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.2K

$1.81 BAM 3.03

137.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.2K

$0.81 BAM 1.36

98.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.7K

$0.86 BAM 1.44

163.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.5K

$2.31 BAM 3.88

-49.35%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.0K

$3.06 BAM 5.13

-29.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 308.6K

$9.88 BAM 16.60

78.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 70.9K

$7.27 BAM 12.22

-44.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 213.2K

$13.43 BAM 22.55

-9.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.3K

$1.25 BAM 2.10

189.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.6K

$1.81 BAM 3.04

-9.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.3K

$1.85 BAM 3.10

24.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.3K

$1.74 BAM 2.93

12.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.3K

$0.79 BAM 1.33

132.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.5K

$0.68 BAM 1.15

248.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.4K

$0.95 BAM 1.59

10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,502

$1.01 BAM 1.70

-46.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.3K

$4.00 BAM 6.72

-42.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 403.9K

$8.02 BAM 13.48

187.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 40.9K

$1.31 BAM 2.19

78.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 53.7K

$2.32 BAM 3.90

32.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,338

$1.31 BAM 2.20

-80.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 164.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,579

$1.17 BAM 1.97

-58.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,299

$0.57 BAM 0.96

-17.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.1K

$10.75 BAM 18.06

-47.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.1K

$1.53 BAM 2.57

-47.06%

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

$25.0K Rp 437.7M

$31.6K BAM 53.1K

-20.84%

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

$31.1K Rp 543.7M

$22.4K BAM 37.6K

38.70%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.4M

$124 BAM 209

-33.38%

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

$6.49 Rp 113.5K

$18.92 BAM 31.78

-65.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 328.8K

$28.33 BAM 47.59

-33.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 966.8K

$34.48 BAM 57.9

60.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 318.7K

$30.09 BAM 50.6

-39.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.2K

$3.01 BAM 5.05

42.86%

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

$494 Rp 8.6M

$152 BAM 256

224.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 103.6M

$3,994 BAM 6,709

48.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 809.9K

$116 BAM 195

-60.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 637.7K

$34.80 BAM 58.5

4.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$97.6 BAM 164

-17.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$117 BAM 197

-32.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.5M

$349 BAM 586

219.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.1M

$262 BAM 441

164.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 63.7M

$528 BAM 888

588.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.0M

$380 BAM 638

350.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.3M

$2,544 BAM 4,272

8.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.1M

$1,825 BAM 3,065

25.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$715 BAM 1,201

-76.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.3

220.47%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Tesanj: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $349 in Tesanj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tesanj pays 328% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $16.00 in Tesanj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $225 per month, with Tesanj 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 Tesanj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tesanj is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 328% lower in Tesanj. 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $349 in Tesanj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $954 in Tesanj – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $954 in Tesanj versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tesanj but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Tesanj the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tesanj 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.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Tesanj 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 Tesanj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.