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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,299 in Upala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,980 in Upala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,660 in Upala.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 8% more expensive than Upala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Upala is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$11.06 ₡4,995

-67.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$50.1 ₡22.6K

-35.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$10.10 ₡4,564

-51.88%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$3.41 ₡1,542

-19.35%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.56 ₡706

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$1.60 ₡724

-56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$3.06 ₡1,381

-4.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$4.64 ₡2,094

-18.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.95 ₡880

-12.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.50 ₡678

64.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$2.21 ₡998

-45.70%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.35 ₡1,061

3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$2.96 ₡1,340

385.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$6.06 ₡2,736

-28.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$7.74 ₡3,499

57.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$1.56 ₡707

135.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$0.63 ₡284

146.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$2.58 ₡1,165

8.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$2.35 ₡1,062

-0.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$3.32 ₡1,500

-40.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$2.33 ₡1,052

-0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.97 ₡438

9.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$2.36 ₡1,068

-69.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$5.38 ₡2,430

-39.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$8.80 ₡3,977

158.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$2.34 ₡1,057

20.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.93 ₡1,326

-5.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$1.02 ₡461

-71.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.88 ₡851

-76.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.77 ₡800

-74.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$6.01 ₡2,714

3.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.29 ₡584

-34.11%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$37.8K ₡17.1M

-31.30%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$32.3K ₡14.6M

-1.96%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$50.5 ₡22.8K

59.84%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$25.87 ₡11.7K

-84.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$20.24 ₡9,145

20.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$56.4 ₡25.5K

73.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$23.99 ₡10.8K

-73.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$9.68 ₡4,371

-58.26%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$568 ₡256.7K

-46.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$12.8K ₡5.8M

-48.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$30.39 ₡13.7K

78.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$19.70 ₡8,900

96.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$124 ₡55.8K

-30.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$29.92 ₡13.5K

156.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$762 ₡344.1K

29.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$590 ₡266.5K

11.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$1,534 ₡693.2K

119.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$973 ₡439.7K

112.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.17

30.58%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Upala: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $762 in Upala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $50.0 in Upala. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $231, with Upala 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 Upala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Upala wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Upala the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,106 in Ubud, Bali and $1,949 in Upala 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $762 in Upala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,299 in Upala – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,299 in Upala versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Upala but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Upala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Upala delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,299 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Upala hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Upala 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 Upala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.