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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,788 in Varnamo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,849 in Varnamo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,910 in Varnamo.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 24% less than in Varnamo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, Varnamo 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$13.63 SEK 134

-74.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$94.6 SEK 932

-61.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$12.37 SEK 122

-53.84%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$4.93 SEK 48.62

-45.84%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$2.76 SEK 27.22

-36.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$2.23 SEK 21.94

-60.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$8.28 SEK 81.6

-64.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$7.34 SEK 72.4

-38.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.71 SEK 16.84

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.73 SEK 26.91

-14.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$3.92 SEK 38.63

-71.68%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$4.70 SEK 46.33

-53.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$13.11 SEK 129

34.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$12.30 SEK 121

-66.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$17.53 SEK 173

-30.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$3.13 SEK 30.89

18.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$3.00 SEK 29.57

-47.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$2.89 SEK 28.44

-21.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$4.68 SEK 46.08

-58.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.79 SEK 17.66

6.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.49 SEK 14.70

56.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$2.74 SEK 27.00

-63.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$1.60 SEK 15.81

-65.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$8.02 SEK 79.0

-72.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$11.67 SEK 115

97.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$2.03 SEK 19.96

19.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.79 SEK 27.45

7.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$3.41 SEK 33.57

-92.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$80.1 SEK 789

-88.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$5.14 SEK 50.6

-90.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$1.16 SEK 11.45

-62.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$43.03 SEK 424

-86.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.80 SEK 17.72

-55.56%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$34.1K SEK 336.2K

-26.89%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$34.4K SEK 338.5K

-7.68%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$81.5 SEK 803

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$32.13 SEK 317

-79.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$42.81 SEK 422

-56.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$39.50 SEK 389

43.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$26.42 SEK 260

-29.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$15.50 SEK 153

-70.71%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$165 SEK 1,628

191.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$5,125 SEK 50.5K

11.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$83.1 SEK 819

-45.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$60.5 SEK 596

-40.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$106 SEK 1,043

-24.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$129 SEK 1,271

-39.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$844 SEK 8,319

32.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$621 SEK 6,118

12.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,410 SEK 13.9K

157.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$1,038 SEK 10.2K

67.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$4,235 SEK 41.7K

-34.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$2,859 SEK 28.2K

-19.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$2,104 SEK 20.7K

-92.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

3.03

354.79%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $844 in Varnamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varnamo pays 1152% 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: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $95.0 in Varnamo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $379 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 31% 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, salaries run 1152% lower in Varnamo. 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 $844 in Varnamo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $165 in Varnamo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Varnamo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,788 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 $1,368 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 31% less than in Varnamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.