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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $758 in Vacoas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,100 in Vacoas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,443 in Vacoas.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 80% more expensive than in Vacoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Vacoas is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$5.91 MUR 279

-41.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$32.39 MUR 1,527

12.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$6.45 MUR 304

-11.47%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.68 MUR 126

-0.37%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.17 MUR 55.4

49.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.62 MUR 29.09

40.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.68 MUR 126

10.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.92 MUR 185

15.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.46 MUR 69.0

10.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.69 MUR 32.44

237.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.12 MUR 52.7

-0.89%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.23 MUR 105

-1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$2.71 MUR 128

552.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$2.50 MUR 118

64.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$11.15 MUR 526

9.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.51 MUR 119

47.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$2.28 MUR 107

-30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.44 MUR 68.1

58.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$2.98 MUR 141

-34.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.03 MUR 48.42

85.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.02 MUR 48.00

128.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.74 MUR 34.65

36.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.72 MUR 33.99

-23.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$6.22 MUR 293

-64.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$6.31 MUR 297

265.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.44 MUR 68.0

68.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.39 MUR 112

25.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$1.29 MUR 60.8

-79.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$4.18 MUR 197

-88.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$3.24 MUR 152

-86.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$4.31 MUR 203

30.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.32 MUR 62.3

-39.39%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$29.7K MUR 1.4M

-15.96%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$31.5K MUR 1.5M

0.59%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$44.29 MUR 2,087

83.92%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$10.41 MUR 491

-37.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$24.75 MUR 1,166

-24.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$25.18 MUR 1,187

125.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$5.46 MUR 257

-16.85%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$128 MUR 6,033

275.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$7,694 MUR 362.6K

-25.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$32.18 MUR 1,517

41.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$38.77 MUR 1,827

-7.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$63.7 MUR 3,002

26.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$46.98 MUR 2,214

67.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$263 MUR 12.4K

323.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$219 MUR 10.3K

219.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$472 MUR 22.2K

671.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$232 MUR 10.9K

647.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$700 MUR 33.0K

-76.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.67

106.60%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Vacoas: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $263 in Vacoas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vacoas pays 317% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $32.00 in Vacoas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $177 per month, with Vacoas 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 Vacoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vacoas wins on cost – living expenses run 80% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Vacoas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 317% lower in Vacoas. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $263 in Vacoas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $758 in Vacoas – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $758 in Vacoas versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Vacoas but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Vacoas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Vacoas delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $758 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Vacoas hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Vacoas 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 Vacoas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.