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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,618 in Varadero.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,999 in Varadero.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,380 in Varadero.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 12% less than in Varadero, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Varadero 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$5.88 CUP 141

-39.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$47.70 CUP 1,145

-31.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$9.18 CUP 220

-46.08%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.03 CUP 24.66

163.11%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$1.97 CUP 47.22

-31.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.93 CUP 22.24

-24.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$3.80 CUP 91.2

-23.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$2.66 CUP 63.8

48.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$2.94 CUP 70.7

-38.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.31 CUP 31.47

92.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.47 CUP 35.25

-21.09%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.44 CUP 58.5

0.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$6.13 CUP 147

139.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$5.02 CUP 120

-13.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$12.14 CUP 291

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$4.92 CUP 118

-21.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$0.58 CUP 13.85

168.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.02 CUP 24.52

177.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.14 CUP 27.42

104.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.89 CUP 21.33

114.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$5.67 CUP 136

-61.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.35 CUP 8.49

188.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.55 CUP 13.09

41.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$3.79 CUP 91.1

-12.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$5.72 CUP 137

315.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$0.80 CUP 19.26

248.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$0.72 CUP 17.27

297.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$19.88 CUP 477

-59.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$2.01 CUP 48.34

-77.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$1.01 CUP 24.25

-55.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$20.13 CUP 483

-69.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.32 CUP 31.78

-40.15%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$69.8K CUP 1.7M

-62.54%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$78.4K CUP 1.9M

-59.04%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$39.63 CUP 951

101.72%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$39.25 CUP 942

-89.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$218 CUP 5,222

-89.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$40.30 CUP 967

144.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$14.98 CUP 359

-55.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$0.99 CUP 23.67

319.19%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$90.6 CUP 2,173

235.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$14.9K CUP 357.4K

-55.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$40.15 CUP 964

38.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$29.72 CUP 713

28.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$74.2 CUP 1,780

19.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$84.4 CUP 2,026

-7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$404 CUP 9,687

149.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$797 CUP 19.1K

-15.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$1,206 CUP 28.9K

185.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$638 CUP 15.3K

219.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$387 CUP 9,293

633.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$352 CUP 8,437

543.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$19.62 CUP 471

742.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-11.47%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Varadero: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $404 in Varadero. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 742% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $48.00 in Varadero. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $215, with Varadero 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 Varadero: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Varadero. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Ubud, Bali pays 742% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $404 in Varadero. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $90.6 in Varadero. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Varadero pay roughly 41% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,618 in Varadero, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Varadero. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,419 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Varadero 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Varadero. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.