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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $710 in Tonghua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,116 in Tonghua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,521 in Tonghua, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 98% more than Tonghua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Tonghua is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$2.81 ¥18.97

22.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$20.55 ¥139

57.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$5.02 ¥33.89

-3.59%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.92 ¥19.73

-5.82%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.44 ¥2.96

213.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.27 ¥1.80

177.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$0.94 ¥6.37

218.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.03 ¥13.74

89.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.62 ¥10.96

7.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.55 ¥10.46

58.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.96 ¥6.47

21.87%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.58 ¥10.67

53.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$13.01 ¥87.9

11.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$3.21 ¥21.69

35.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$10.02 ¥67.7

19.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$1.72 ¥11.61

116.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.24 ¥8.41

31.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.41 ¥9.50

94.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.08 ¥7.31

107.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.73 ¥4.96

163.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.92 ¥6.24

147.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.60 ¥4.07

76.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.50 ¥3.41

44.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$3.19 ¥21.58

3.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$11.96 ¥80.8

93.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$0.75 ¥5.08

270.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.63 ¥11.03

67.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.29 ¥1.98

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$16.69 ¥113

-51.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.43 ¥9.67

-66.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.33 ¥2.21

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$6.59 ¥44.52

-5.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.18 ¥7.97

-31.36%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$19.1K ¥129.4K

38.97%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$16.4K ¥111.1K

95.86%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$45.78 ¥309

71.14%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$9.63 ¥65.1

-57.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$11.40 ¥77.0

113.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$41.33 ¥279

138.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$14.02 ¥94.7

-54.78%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$6.29 ¥42.53

-36.57%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$335 ¥2,262

-8.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$17.2K ¥116.1K

-61.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$42.90 ¥290

26.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$30.63 ¥207

23.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$71.6 ¥484

21.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$74.8 ¥505

2.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$283 ¥1,911

250.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$190 ¥1,286

253.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$583 ¥3,938

479.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$362 ¥2,444

466.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$3,060 ¥20.7K

-8.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$1,832 ¥12.4K

21.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$502 ¥3,390

-66.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

3.87

243.15%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Tonghua: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $283 in Tonghua. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 201% higher in Tonghua, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $21.00 in Tonghua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $198 – making Tonghua the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Tonghua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $710 in Tonghua – roughly 98% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,065 in Tonghua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tonghua, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 106% less in Tonghua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Ubud, Bali and $335 in Tonghua. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tonghua, where all-in costs run around $710, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Tonghua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $710 in Tonghua to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tonghua. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.