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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $531 in Trincomalee.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Ubud, Bali versus $856 in Trincomalee.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,757 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,181 in Trincomalee.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 165% more expensive than Trincomalee, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Trincomalee is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

$3.96 LKR 1,252

-13.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

$25.31 LKR 8,010

30.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

$8.20 LKR 2,596

-38.05%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

$2.67 LKR 844

5.62%

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$0.70 LKR 220

95.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$0.41 LKR 128

73.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

$2.29 LKR 724

29.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

$3.34 LKR 1,056

17.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$1.70 LKR 537

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$0.52 LKR 165

384.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$0.86 LKR 271

40.70%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$2.23 LKR 706

4.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

$14.35 LKR 4,543

1.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

$4.79 LKR 1,516

-8.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

$8.01 LKR 2,536

50.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

$7.62 LKR 2,412

-49.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.10 LKR 350

46.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

$5.84 LKR 1,849

-53.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$1.20 LKR 379

85.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$1.16 LKR 367

63.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$1.38 LKR 436

57.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$1.14 LKR 360

-9.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$0.61 LKR 192

26.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

$9.91 LKR 3,137

-67.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

$12.81 LKR 4,053

81.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$2.06 LKR 652

38.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$2.90 LKR 918

-6.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

$0.38 LKR 121

28.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

$0.33 LKR 103

36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

$0.61 LKR 192

929.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$1.25 LKR 395

-32.00%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

$26.4K LKR 8.3M

-1.11%

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

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

$35.5K LKR 11.2M

-11.11%

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$60.1 LKR 19.0K

32.82%

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

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

$4.44 LKR 1,407

-7.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

$15.31 LKR 4,847

57.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

$3.42 LKR 1,084

20.76%

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

$36.76 LKR 11.6K

707.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

$440 LKR 139.2K

1414.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

$27.48 LKR 8,699

100.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

$19.21 LKR 6,080

101.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

$69.5 LKR 22.0K

28.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$39.16 LKR 12.4K

101.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Trincomalee: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali and $0 in Trincomalee. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33 in Ubud, Bali vs $25 in Trincomalee for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $259 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 165% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,112 in Ubud, Bali and $797 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 $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $36.76 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 $25.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $531 in Trincomalee versus $1,408 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 165% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.