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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,062 in Umhlanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,682 in Umhlanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,303 in Umhlanga.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 33% more expensive than in Umhlanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Umhlanga is 21% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Umhlanga
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.45 Rp 62.1K
$11.19 R 185
-69.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.34 Rp 581.1K
$34.78 R 574
-7.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.84 Rp 87.1K
$4.72 R 77.9
2.54%
Cappuccino
$2.75 Rp 49.4K
$2.09 R 34.48
31.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 Rp 24.9K
$1.34 R 22.17
2.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 Rp 13.5K
$1.15 R 18.91
-34.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.99 Rp 53.8K
$2.20 R 36.24
35.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 Rp 69.2K
$2.50 R 41.18
54.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Umhlanga
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 Rp 31.2K
$1.07 R 17.65
62.62%
White Bread (500g)
$2.46 Rp 44.2K
$0.84 R 13.85
192.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.17 Rp 21.0K
$1.59 R 26.16
-26.42%
Eggs
$2.43 Rp 43.7K
$2.14 R 35.35
13.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.50 Rp 260.6K
$10.38 R 171
39.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.35 Rp 78.2K
$4.15 R 68.5
4.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.98 Rp 215.3K
$9.45 R 156
26.77%
Apples (1kg)
$3.72 Rp 66.8K
$1.62 R 26.67
129.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 Rp 29.2K
$1.53 R 25.31
6.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.74 Rp 49.3K
$1.54 R 25.37
77.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.3K
$1.57 R 25.92
42.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 Rp 34.5K
$1.37 R 22.61
40.15%
Onion (1kg)
$2.28 Rp 40.9K
$1.23 R 20.38
85.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Rp 19.1K
$1.05 R 17.36
0.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 Rp 12.9K
$0.97 R 16.09
-25.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.29 Rp 59.0K
$2.77 R 45.66
18.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.19 Rp 416.8K
$6.06 R 100
282.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.78 Rp 49.9K
$2.12 R 35.07
31.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
$1.64 R 27.12
66.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Umhlanga
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,786
$1.62 R 26.72
-83.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.11 Rp 145.7K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,675
$1.10 R 18.15
-56.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,545
$0.88 R 14.50
-52.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.22 Rp 111.8K
$4.13 R 68.1
50.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$1.43 R 23.60
-43.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K Rp 478.2M
$30.1K R 497.1K
-11.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K Rp 578.5M
$34.7K R 573.1K
-7.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Umhlanga
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$133 R 2,196
-41.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.07 Rp 73.1K
$35.41 R 584
-88.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.33 Rp 437.1K
$39.56 R 653
-38.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Umhlanga
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.6 Rp 1.8M
$30.75 R 507
220.68%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.34 Rp 113.9K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.99 Rp 71.6K
$6.92 R 114
-42.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Umhlanga
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$305 Rp 5.5M
$200 R 3,307
52.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,642 Rp 119.4M
$4,319 R 71.3K
53.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Umhlanga
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.1 Rp 972.9K
$60.6 R 999
-10.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.81 Rp 679.4K
$32.11 R 530
17.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 Rp 1.6M
$110 R 1,816
-21.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.4 Rp 1.4M
$79.7 R 1,315
-4.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Umhlanga
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$992 Rp 17.8M
$358 R 5,909
177.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.1M
$330 R 5,448
103.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,375 Rp 60.7M
$983 R 16.2K
243.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,050 Rp 36.8M
$686 R 11.3K
199.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,805 Rp 50.4M
$2,308 R 38.1K
21.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,227 Rp 40.0M
$1,618 R 26.7K
37.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Umhlanga
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$167 Rp 3.0M
$1,589 R 26.2K
-89.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
14.5
-8.41%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Umhlanga: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $358 in Umhlanga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Umhlanga pays 852% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $35.00 in Umhlanga. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $194, with Umhlanga cheaper for home cooking.

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 Umhlanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Umhlanga?
Umhlanga wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Umhlanga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or in Umhlanga?
On paper, salaries run 852% lower in Umhlanga. 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 Umhlanga?
Rent for a central apartment: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $358 in Umhlanga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or in Umhlanga?
Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Ubud, Bali compared to Umhlanga?
All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,062 in Umhlanga – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in Umhlanga?
At $1,062 in Umhlanga versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Umhlanga but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Umhlanga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Umhlanga?
Both work as nomad bases, but Umhlanga delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,062 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Umhlanga hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Umhlanga?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Umhlanga 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 Umhlanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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