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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $517 in Trincomalee.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $825 in Trincomalee.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,132 in Trincomalee.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Trincomalee is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$4.43 LKR 1,457

-24.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$26.03 LKR 8,552

37.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$7.51 LKR 2,467

-25.03%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.55 LKR 838

10.59%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.68 LKR 225

157.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.27 LKR 89.2

196.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$2.21 LKR 727

37.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$3.02 LKR 992

42.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.59 LKR 521

1.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.57 LKR 186

298.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$0.76 LKR 249

53.95%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.66 LKR 545

30.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$13.31 LKR 4,375

32.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$5.04 LKR 1,655

-19.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$7.24 LKR 2,380

68.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$6.90 LKR 2,267

-47.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$0.83 LKR 272

97.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$4.16 LKR 1,366

-44.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.24 LKR 409

58.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.05 LKR 345

75.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.74 LKR 244

220.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.89 LKR 292

17.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.49 LKR 162

10.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$10.58 LKR 3,475

-78.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$13.86 LKR 4,553

66.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.99 LKR 655

17.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.81 LKR 922

9.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$0.41 LKR 136

19.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.38 LKR 125

23.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$0.87 LKR 287

543.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.28 LKR 421

-36.72%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$30.9K LKR 10.1M

-18.96%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$43.3K LKR 14.2M

-28.21%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$55.9 LKR 18.4K

48.06%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$4.26 LKR 1,401

52.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$21.21 LKR 6,969

-11.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.49 LKR 1,474

-4.23%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$37.65 LKR 12.4K

1212.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$1,201 LKR 394.7K

392.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$19.83 LKR 6,516

133.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$16.89 LKR 5,550

115.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$80.5 LKR 26.4K

0.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$43.07 LKR 14.2K

82.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

12.69

8.59%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Trincomalee: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $26.00 in Trincomalee for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $238 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 167% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,067 in Ubud, Bali and $775 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 $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $37.65 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $517 in Trincomalee versus $1,378 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.