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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,814 in Varnamo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,828 in Varnamo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,842 in Varnamo.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 21% less than in Varnamo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 7% above, Varnamo 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$12.57 SEK 117

-71.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$87.3 SEK 812

-62.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$12.19 SEK 113

-58.41%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$5.05 SEK 46.93

-43.96%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$2.84 SEK 26.38

-52.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$2.07 SEK 19.28

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$8.00 SEK 74.4

-62.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$7.51 SEK 69.8

-48.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.60 SEK 14.90

8.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$2.13 SEK 19.83

19.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$2.94 SEK 27.34

-59.52%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$4.44 SEK 41.29

-45.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$13.16 SEK 122

11.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$11.74 SEK 109

-64.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$16.83 SEK 157

-29.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$3.17 SEK 29.50

16.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$2.82 SEK 26.23

-42.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.77 SEK 25.75

-2.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$4.52 SEK 42.07

-48.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.69 SEK 15.69

13.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.59 SEK 14.83

37.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$2.66 SEK 24.78

-60.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$1.28 SEK 11.89

-43.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$8.20 SEK 76.3

-61.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$12.22 SEK 114

92.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.02 SEK 18.80

35.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.25 SEK 20.91

28.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$3.48 SEK 32.36

-91.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$73.7 SEK 686

-88.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$5.61 SEK 52.2

-91.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$2.56 SEK 23.77

-83.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$63.8 SEK 593

-90.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.89 SEK 17.61

-55.56%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$32.7K SEK 303.8K

-19.66%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$34.1K SEK 316.8K

-4.65%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$123 SEK 1,141

-36.10%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$29.26 SEK 272

-86.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$40.11 SEK 373

-39.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$41.27 SEK 384

133.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$24.88 SEK 231

-74.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$17.70 SEK 165

-77.18%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$179 SEK 1,664

69.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$4,165 SEK 38.7K

56.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$80.2 SEK 746

-32.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$61.0 SEK 567

-37.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$106 SEK 986

-18.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$127 SEK 1,181

-37.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$833 SEK 7,743

21.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$663 SEK 6,169

1.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$1,377 SEK 12.8K

146.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$1,065 SEK 9,902

97.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$4,394 SEK 40.9K

-32.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$3,014 SEK 28.0K

-22.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$2,169 SEK 20.2K

-92.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.8

176.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $833 in Varnamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varnamo pays 1153% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $87.0 in Varnamo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $355 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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 Varnamo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Varnamo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Varnamo earns 1153% less. 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $833 in Varnamo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $179 in Varnamo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Varnamo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,814 in Varnamo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Varnamo. 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 $1,438 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 Varnamo 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 26% less than in Varnamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.