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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,069 in Vanderbijlpark.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,663 in Vanderbijlpark.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,258 in Vanderbijlpark.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 31% more expensive than in Vanderbijlpark, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Vanderbijlpark is 22% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Vanderbijlpark
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.37 Rp 59.7K
$7.31 R 117
-53.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.59 Rp 682.4K
$39.56 R 633
-2.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.52 Rp 97.6K
$5.75 R 91.9
-4.00%
Cappuccino
$2.64 Rp 46.8K
$2.26 R 36.16
16.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 Rp 29.6K
$1.08 R 17.22
54.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 Rp 13.6K
$0.84 R 13.50
-8.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.63 Rp 46.6K
$1.83 R 29.26
43.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.28 Rp 75.7K
$2.55 R 40.84
67.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Vanderbijlpark
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 Rp 27.3K
$1.20 R 19.17
29.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 Rp 39.3K
$1.17 R 18.77
89.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.13 Rp 19.9K
$1.89 R 30.26
-40.21%
Eggs
$2.09 Rp 36.9K
$2.49 R 39.87
-16.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.39 Rp 307.6K
$7.02 R 112
147.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.87 Rp 68.4K
$4.24 R 67.8
-8.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.55 Rp 221.9K
$6.10 R 97.6
105.74%
Apples (1kg)
$3.62 Rp 63.9K
$1.84 R 29.38
96.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 Rp 27.6K
$1.66 R 26.50
-6.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.35 Rp 41.6K
$1.79 R 28.59
31.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 Rp 36.4K
$1.63 R 26.02
26.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 Rp 33.6K
$1.16 R 18.63
63.79%
Onion (1kg)
$2.34 Rp 41.3K
$1.19 R 19.04
96.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 Rp 18.2K
$1.25 R 19.91
-17.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 Rp 9,809
$1.36 R 21.76
-59.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.25 Rp 39.8K
$3.09 R 49.40
-27.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.81 Rp 421.0K
$4.41 R 70.6
439.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.31 Rp 40.9K
$1.57 R 25.08
47.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 Rp 49.5K
$2.03 R 32.44
37.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Vanderbijlpark
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,816
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.66 Rp 153.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,515
$0.30 R 4.72
60.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 7,887
$0.68 R 10.91
-33.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.72 Rp 101.1K
$3.77 R 60.3
51.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.76 Rp 13.4K
$1.49 R 23.90
-48.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.5K Rp 433.0M
$36.7K R 587.0K
-33.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K Rp 568.0M
$34.8K R 556.6K
-7.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Vanderbijlpark
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.6 Rp 1.5M
$156 R 2,500
-46.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.46 Rp 114.2K
$24.37 R 390
-73.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.99 Rp 335.9K
$38.34 R 613
-50.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Vanderbijlpark
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.0 Rp 989.8K
$32.49 R 520
72.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.62 Rp 329.2K
$15.44 R 247
20.60%
Cinema Ticket
$4.28 Rp 75.7K
$6.37 R 102
-32.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Vanderbijlpark
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$487 Rp 8.6M
$123 R 1,960
296.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,856 Rp 103.6M
$1,583 R 25.3K
269.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Vanderbijlpark
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.56 Rp 805.6K
$48.02 R 768
-5.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.38 Rp 643.3K
$33.56 R 537
8.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.0 Rp 1.4M
$92.4 R 1,477
-11.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.4 Rp 1.4M
$77.6 R 1,241
3.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Vanderbijlpark
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,117 Rp 19.7M
$379 R 6,061
194.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$701 Rp 12.4M
$370 R 5,919
89.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,537 Rp 62.5M
$627 R 10.0K
464.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,762 Rp 31.2M
$751 R 12.0K
134.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,826 Rp 50.0M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,292 Rp 40.5M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Vanderbijlpark
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$170 Rp 3.0M
$2,033 R 32.5K
-91.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
11
25.27%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Vanderbijlpark: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $379 in Vanderbijlpark. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vanderbijlpark pays 1097% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $40.00 in Vanderbijlpark. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $184, with Vanderbijlpark 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 Vanderbijlpark: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Vanderbijlpark?
Vanderbijlpark wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Vanderbijlpark the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or in Vanderbijlpark?
On paper, salaries run 1097% lower in Vanderbijlpark. 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 Vanderbijlpark?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $379 in Vanderbijlpark. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or in Vanderbijlpark?
Supermarket bills run roughly 59% 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 Vanderbijlpark?
All in, you'll spend $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,069 in Vanderbijlpark – a 31% 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 Vanderbijlpark?
At $1,069 in Vanderbijlpark versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Vanderbijlpark but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Vanderbijlpark the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Vanderbijlpark?
Both work as nomad bases, but Vanderbijlpark delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,069 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Vanderbijlpark hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Vanderbijlpark?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Vanderbijlpark 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 Vanderbijlpark gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% 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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