Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Tibas

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,368 a month against $1,712 in Tibas, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. The total is higher in Tibas despite lower rent and utilities.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,368
/mo nomad
Tibas
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,712
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Tibas

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Tibas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,712 in Tibas.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,368
  • Tibas $1,712

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,314 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,656 in Tibas.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,314
  • Tibas $2,656

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,599 in Tibas.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,260
  • Tibas $3,599

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 20% less than in Tibas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 1% above, Tibas 27% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Tibas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.33 Rp 59.9K
$12.27 ₡5,502
-72.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.18 Rp 633.2K
$34.09 ₡15.3K
3.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.80 Rp 104.5K
$10.78 ₡4,837
-46.20%
Cappuccino
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
$3.90 ₡1,751
-30.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 Rp 29.5K
$2.23 ₡1,001
-26.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
$1.86 ₡834
-55.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.70 Rp 48.6K
$2.78 ₡1,248
-2.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.30 Rp 77.4K
$4.39 ₡1,971
-2.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Tibas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 Rp 27.1K
$2.34 ₡1,051
-35.90%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 Rp 41.4K
$3.13 ₡1,404
-26.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$2.53 ₡1,136
-53.36%
Eggs
$2.14 Rp 38.6K
$3.41 ₡1,527
-37.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.48 Rp 314.6K
$10.73 ₡4,813
62.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.03 Rp 72.5K
$10.50 ₡4,710
-61.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.23 Rp 220.1K
$14.04 ₡6,296
-12.89%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 Rp 63.9K
$5.10 ₡2,289
-30.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$1.63 ₡730
-3.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.2K
$4.68 ₡2,099
-52.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.93 Rp 34.7K
$3.89 ₡1,746
-50.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.88 Rp 33.9K
$3.93 ₡1,763
-52.16%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 Rp 41.3K
$3.60 ₡1,613
-36.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 17.9K
$1.12 ₡504
-11.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,475
$3.10 ₡1,389
-82.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
$6.02 ₡2,698
-62.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.01 Rp 414.2K
$20.15 ₡9,035
14.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 Rp 42.2K
$2.84 ₡1,275
-17.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 Rp 52.4K
$3.53 ₡1,582
-17.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Tibas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 Rp 4,315
$1.33 ₡599
-81.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.82 Rp 158.7K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,684
$2.37 ₡1,064
-79.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 Rp 8,233
$1.63 ₡732
-71.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 Rp 98.2K
$8.59 ₡3,851
-36.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
$1.49 ₡666
-40.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K Rp 442.2M
$21.8K ₡9.8M
12.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K Rp 561.4M
$34.9K ₡15.6M
-10.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Tibas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
$94.7 ₡42.5K
-12.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 116.0K
$35.71 ₡16.0K
-81.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.57 Rp 334.2K
$58.9 ₡26.4K
-68.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Tibas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.8 Rp 1.0M
$73.7 ₡33.1K
-24.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.11 Rp 326.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.38 Rp 78.9K
$7.77 ₡3,484
-43.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Tibas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
$975 ₡437.1K
-49.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,754 Rp 103.6M
$17.3K ₡7.8M
-66.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Tibas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.19 Rp 831.4K
$70.6 ₡31.6K
-34.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.33 Rp 636.0K
$55.3 ₡24.8K
-36.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
$131 ₡58.7K
-39.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$133 ₡59.7K
-41.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Tibas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,142 Rp 20.6M
$791 ₡354.5K
44.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$676 Rp 12.2M
$625 ₡280.3K
8.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,503 Rp 63.1M
$1,884 ₡844.7K
85.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,700 Rp 30.6M
$1,262 ₡566.1K
34.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,784 Rp 50.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Tibas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
$980 ₡439.5K
-83.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
8.62
59.86%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Last update for Tibas: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$676
Tibas
$625 7.5% $51
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$290
Tibas
$401 38.1% $111
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$109
Tibas
$216 98.9% $108
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$108
Tibas
$189 75.3% $81
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
Tibas
$175 63.1% $68
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$65
Tibas
$89 38.2% $25
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$13
Tibas
$16 * 26.5% $3.3

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,142 in Ubud, Bali and $791 in Tibas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tibas pays 496% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $34.00 in Tibas. Groceries flip the comparison at $290 vs $401, with Ubud, Bali cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇨🇷 Tibas
🕒 Local time
22:05 10:05 PM
08:05 8:05 AM
14 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
64,842
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Tibas 17,890 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Tibas

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Tibas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Tibas?
Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Tibas. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or in Tibas?
On paper, salaries run 496% lower in Tibas. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali compared to Tibas?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,142 in Ubud, Bali versus $791 in Tibas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Tibas?
Childcare runs $493 in Ubud, Bali versus $975 in Tibas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Tibas?
Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $34.00 in Tibas. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in Tibas?
At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,712 in Tibas, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Tibas. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Tibas?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,368 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Tibas?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Tibas 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Tibas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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