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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $933 in Vilcabamba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,439 in Vilcabamba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,945 in Vilcabamba.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 54% more expensive than Vilcabamba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Vilcabamba is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$3.30 $3.30

8.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$35.09 $35.09

-7.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$7.56 $7.56

-32.94%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.16 $2.16

31.02%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$1.02 $1.02

31.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.93 $0.93

-25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.98 $1.98

51.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$3.43 $3.43

12.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$0.97 $0.97

79.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.95 $1.95

30.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.35 $1.35

-11.85%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.17 $2.17

11.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$7.48 $7.48

95.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$5.88 $5.88

-28.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$7.21 $7.21

65.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.53 $2.53

45.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.23 $1.23

30.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.80 $1.80

49.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.05 $1.05

121.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.98 $0.98

94.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.97 $0.97

125.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.71 $0.71

49.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$1.02 $1.02

-29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$6.22 $6.22

-49.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$10.09 $10.09

132.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.63 $1.63

68.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.52 $2.52

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.37 $0.37

-21.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$24.33 $24.33

-66.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.54 $1.54

-70.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.92 $0.92

-54.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$10.19 $10.19

-39.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$0.64 $0.64

31.25%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$20.1K $20.1K

30.30%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$27.8K $27.8K

16.87%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$57.8 $57.8

35.70%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$13.24 $13.24

-70.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$33.92 $33.92

-28.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$29.83 $29.83

223.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$14.71 $14.71

-56.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$7.01 $7.01

-42.37%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$253 $253

19.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$5,676 $5,676

14.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$78.6 $78.6

-31.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$20.16 $20.16

88.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$96.2 $96.2

-9.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$75.0 $75.0

5.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$339 $339

198.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$326 $326

107.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$632 $632

436.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$585 $585

258.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$1,220 $1,220

144.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$838 $838

179.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$437 $437

-60.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.6

25.28%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Vilcabamba: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $339 in Vilcabamba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vilcabamba pays 153% 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 $35.00 in Vilcabamba. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $203, with Vilcabamba 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 Vilcabamba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vilcabamba wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Vilcabamba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Vilcabamba earns 153% 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 $339 in Vilcabamba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $253 in Vilcabamba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $933 in Vilcabamba versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Vilcabamba but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Vilcabamba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Vilcabamba delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $933 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Vilcabamba hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Vilcabamba 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 Vilcabamba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.