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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $507 in Vavuniya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $799 in Vavuniya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,091 in Vavuniya.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 170% more expensive than in Vavuniya, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Vavuniya is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$4.53 LKR 1,498

-24.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

$15.02 LKR 4,966

141.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$7.78 LKR 2,571

-26.61%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.48 LKR 820

7.66%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.43 LKR 141

306.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.27 LKR 89.5

222.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$2.18 LKR 719

35.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$3.06 LKR 1,012

47.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.63 LKR 538

-0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.57 LKR 190

308.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.80 LKR 265

38.75%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.60 LKR 530

37.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

$13.27 LKR 4,387

33.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$5.14 LKR 1,701

-20.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$7.17 LKR 2,370

69.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$6.86 LKR 2,267

-45.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$0.82 LKR 272

93.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$4.32 LKR 1,428

-47.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.24 LKR 410

57.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.04 LKR 344

83.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$0.76 LKR 251

206.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.95 LKR 315

6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,791

$0.45 LKR 148

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$10.45 LKR 3,456

-78.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

$13.74 LKR 4,543

67.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.92 LKR 633

26.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$2.83 LKR 937

6.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,582

$0.39 LKR 128

23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,693

$0.38 LKR 126

13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$0.89 LKR 293

533.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.27 LKR 421

-37.01%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

$29.9K LKR 9.9M

-16.59%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

$43.2K LKR 14.3M

-26.59%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$54.6 LKR 18.0K

49.28%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$4.10 LKR 1,355

58.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

$21.28 LKR 7,037

-11.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$4.41 LKR 1,458

2.95%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$38.46 LKR 12.7K

1149.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$1,218 LKR 402.7K

368.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

$20.16 LKR 6,667

125.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

$16.51 LKR 5,460

117.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$78.3 LKR 25.9K

2.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$42.99 LKR 14.2K

83.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

12.69

8.59%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Vavuniya: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $15.00 in Vavuniya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $238 per month, with Vavuniya 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 Vavuniya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vavuniya wins on cost – living expenses run 170% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Vavuniya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,052 in Ubud, Bali and $761 in Vavuniya to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% 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 $507 in Vavuniya – a 170% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $507 in Vavuniya versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Vavuniya but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Vavuniya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Vavuniya delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $507 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Vavuniya hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Vavuniya 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 Vavuniya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 170% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.