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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $526 in Trincomalee.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $860 in Trincomalee.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,194 in Trincomalee.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 167% more expensive than Trincomalee, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Trincomalee is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.7K

$4.08 LKR 1,374

-12.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 589.5K

$25.56 LKR 8,614

27.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 88.2K

$8.49 LKR 2,863

-42.76%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.8K

$2.75 LKR 928

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

$1.32 Rp 24.0K

$0.68 LKR 230

94.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

$0.40 LKR 136

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.8K

$2.29 LKR 771

27.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.8K

$3.38 LKR 1,138

12.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 31.0K

$1.78 LKR 600

-3.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.9K

$0.53 LKR 178

366.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.8K

$0.87 LKR 294

37.93%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 44.3K

$2.11 LKR 710

15.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 260.9K

$13.82 LKR 4,658

4.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 78.1K

$4.69 LKR 1,580

-8.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 221.4K

$7.89 LKR 2,660

54.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.8K

$7.39 LKR 2,490

-50.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 28.1K

$1.06 LKR 358

46.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.5K

$5.87 LKR 1,977

-52.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 42.3K

$1.26 LKR 423

84.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.7K

$1.10 LKR 371

79.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.9K

$1.42 LKR 479

62.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.3K

$1.18 LKR 398

-10.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.60 LKR 201

21.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 59.5K

$10.23 LKR 3,447

-67.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 413.4K

$12.66 LKR 4,267

80.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.9K

$2.10 LKR 706

33.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 50.5K

$2.94 LKR 990

-5.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,281

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 146.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,146

$0.42 LKR 141

7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,193

$0.32 LKR 109

40.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 113.1K

$0.61 LKR 205

922.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.4K

$1.24 LKR 418

-31.45%

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

$26.0K Rp 471.2M

$26.5K LKR 8.9M

-1.85%

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

$31.7K Rp 574.1M

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

-10.64%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

$60.7 LKR 20.5K

32.94%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.6K

$4.24 LKR 1,429

-4.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 442.9K

$14.84 LKR 5,002

64.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 116.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 73.3K

$3.37 LKR 1,135

19.88%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$36.99 LKR 12.5K

721.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 120.1M

$439 LKR 147.8K

1409.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 983.6K

$27.66 LKR 9,323

96.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 703.2K

$19.34 LKR 6,519

100.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.6M

$68.3 LKR 23.0K

26.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$39.45 LKR 13.3K

94.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 61.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

16.45

-19.27%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Trincomalee: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $26.00 in Trincomalee for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $256 per month, with Trincomalee 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 Trincomalee: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trincomalee is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 167% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,106 in Ubud, Bali and $789 in Trincomalee 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.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $36.99 in Trincomalee. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Trincomalee – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $526 in Trincomalee versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Trincomalee but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Trincomalee the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Trincomalee 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 Trincomalee 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 Trincomalee gentler on the wallet – expenses run 167% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.