Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Ulm

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,368 a month against $2,140 in Ulm, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,368
/mo nomad
Ulm
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,140
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Ulm

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Ulm actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,140 in Ulm.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,368
  • Ulm $2,140

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,314 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,245 in Ulm.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,314
  • Ulm $3,245

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,350 in Ulm.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,260
  • Ulm $4,350

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 36% less than in Ulm, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 1% above, Ulm 59% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Ulm
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.33 Rp 59.9K
$16.80 €14.94
-80.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.18 Rp 633.2K
$66.6 €59.2
-47.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.80 Rp 104.5K
$13.31 €11.84
-56.42%
Cappuccino
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
$3.84 €3.42
-28.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 Rp 29.5K
$4.64 €4.13
-64.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
$1.92 €1.71
-56.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.70 Rp 48.6K
$4.62 €4.11
-41.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.30 Rp 77.4K
$4.41 €3.92
-2.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Ulm
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 Rp 27.1K
$1.47 €1.30
2.04%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 Rp 41.4K
$2.05 €1.83
12.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$4.14 €3.68
-71.50%
Eggs
$2.14 Rp 38.6K
$3.64 €3.24
-41.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.48 Rp 314.6K
$14.34 €12.76
21.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.03 Rp 72.5K
$9.83 €8.74
-59.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.23 Rp 220.1K
$25.54 €22.72
-52.11%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 Rp 63.9K
$3.44 €3.06
3.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$2.21 €1.96
-28.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.2K
$1.92 €1.71
16.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.93 Rp 34.7K
$3.91 €3.48
-50.64%
Potato (1kg)
$1.88 Rp 33.9K
$1.08 €0.96
74.07%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 Rp 41.3K
$1.12 €1.00
104.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 17.9K
$1.66 €1.48
-40.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,475
$1.20 €1.06
-55.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
$9.59 €8.53
-76.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.01 Rp 414.2K
$5.67 €5.04
305.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 Rp 42.2K
$1.15 €1.02
103.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 Rp 52.4K
$1.52 €1.35
91.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Ulm
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 Rp 4,315
$3.10 €2.76
-92.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.82 Rp 158.7K
$64.4 €57.3
-86.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,684
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 Rp 8,233
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 Rp 98.2K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
$2.13 €1.89
-58.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K Rp 442.2M
$32.2K €28.6K
-23.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K Rp 561.4M
$37.9K €33.7K
-17.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Ulm
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
$377 €336
-77.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 116.0K
$34.04 €30.28
-81.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.57 Rp 334.2K
$52.9 €47.05
-64.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Ulm
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.8 Rp 1.0M
$33.61 €29.89
66.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.11 Rp 326.0K
$22.70 €20.19
-20.22%
Cinema Ticket
$4.38 Rp 78.9K
$13.44 €11.95
-67.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Ulm
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
$441 €393
11.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,754 Rp 103.6M
$13.0K €11.6K
-55.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Ulm
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.19 Rp 831.4K
$90.3 €80.3
-48.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.33 Rp 636.0K
$55.2 €49.08
-35.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
$89.4 €79.6
-11.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$148 €131
-46.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Ulm
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,142 Rp 20.6M
$931 €828
22.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$676 Rp 12.2M
$749 €666
-9.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,503 Rp 63.1M
$1,830 €1,628
91.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,700 Rp 30.6M
$1,471 €1,308
15.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,784 Rp 50.1M
$5,901 €5,249
-52.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
$3,961 €3,524
-43.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Ulm
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
$3,737 €3,324
-95.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
3.97
247.10%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Last update for Ulm: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$676
Ulm
$749 10.8% $73
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$290
Ulm
$339 16.9% $49
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$109
Ulm
$279 156% $170
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$108
Ulm
$464 330% $356
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
Ulm
$172 60.1% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$65
Ulm
$60 6.3% $4.1
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$13
Ulm
$77 * 512% $64

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,142 in Ubud, Bali and $931 in Ulm. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ulm pays 2171% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $67.0 in Ulm for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $339 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇩🇪 Ulm
🕒 Local time
06:03 6:03 AM
00:03 12:03 AM
6 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
121,648
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Ulm 11,840 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Ulm

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ulm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Ulm?
Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in Ulm. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or in Ulm?
On paper, salaries run 2171% lower in Ulm. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali compared to Ulm?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,142 in Ubud, Bali versus $931 in Ulm. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Ulm?
Childcare runs $493 in Ubud, Bali versus $441 in Ulm. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or in Ulm?
Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Ulm. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in Ulm?
At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,140 in Ulm, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Ulm. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Ulm?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,368 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Ulm?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Ulm are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Ulm. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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