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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $878 in Tulcán.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,320 in Tulcán.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,762 in Tulcán.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 62% more expensive than Tulcán, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Tulcán is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$4.59 $4.59

-22.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$15.23 $15.23

114.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$5.05 $5.05

-1.98%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$1.52 $1.52

78.29%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.58 $0.58

131.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.49 $0.49

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$1.95 $1.95

49.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$4.03 $4.03

-1.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$0.73 $0.73

147.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$1.49 $1.49

69.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.07 $1.07

8.41%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.75 $1.75

40.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$8.52 $8.52

72.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$7.78 $7.78

-44.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$8.35 $8.35

45.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$2.03 $2.03

89.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.16 $1.16

34.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$1.06 $1.06

166.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.29 $1.29

80.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.38 $1.38

38.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.05 $1.05

109.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$0.85 $0.85

18.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$1.05 $1.05

-25.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$6.12 $6.12

-45.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$8.23 $8.23

188.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.57 $1.57

77.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.93 $2.93

-2.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.33 $0.33

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$24.20 $24.20

-66.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$1.47 $1.47

-68.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$1.46 $1.46

-69.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$10.08 $10.08

-39.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.68 $0.68

16.18%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$19.6K $19.6K

33.14%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$25.9K $25.9K

23.88%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$34.91 $34.91

128.99%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$14.52 $14.52

-72.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$29.33 $29.33

-19.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$29.41 $29.41

235.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$14.57 $14.57

-54.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$7.17 $7.17

-42.12%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$79.3 $79.3

283.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$8,610 $8,610

-23.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$30.17 $30.17

84.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$43.90 $43.90

-12.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$90.2 $90.2

-1.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$85.9 $85.9

-9.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$345 $345

191.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$320 $320

111.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$628 $628

448.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$489 $489

317.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$1,068 $1,068

165.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$826 $826

174.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.19

18.68%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tulcán: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $345 in Tulcán. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $15.00 in Tulcán for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $203 per month, with Tulcán 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 Tulcán: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Tulcán differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $878 including rent). Tulcán is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,129 in Ubud, Bali and $1,317 in Tulcán 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $345 in Tulcán. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $79.3 in Tulcán. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $878 in Tulcán versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tulcán but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Tulcán the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Tulcán 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 Tulcán gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.