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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $949 in Vilcabamba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,433 in Vilcabamba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,917 in Vilcabamba.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 44% more expensive than in Vilcabamba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Vilcabamba is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$3.49 $3.49

-1.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$29.81 $29.81

21.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$7.83 $7.83

-27.08%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.19 $2.19

21.92%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.02 $1.02

71.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$1.04 $1.04

-16.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.04 $2.04

44.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.47 $3.47

30.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.04 $1.04

55.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.60 $1.60

45.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.57 $1.57

-29.30%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.49 $2.49

-11.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$8.47 $8.47

108.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$5.14 $5.14

-20.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$7.31 $7.31

66.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$1.71 $1.71

116.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.07 $1.07

48.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.15 $1.15

98.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.15 $1.15

69.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.93 $0.93

105.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.08 $1.08

115.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.71 $0.71

42.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.99 $0.99

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$5.11 $5.11

-56.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$10.92 $10.92

111.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.63 $1.63

48.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.69 $2.69

11.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.35 $0.35

-22.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$16.23 $16.23

-44.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.34 $1.34

-64.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$1.11 $1.11

-61.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$10.05 $10.05

-43.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.70 $0.70

14.29%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$21.3K $21.3K

17.19%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$28.4K $28.4K

11.53%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$37.48 $37.48

117.34%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$13.36 $13.36

-51.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$35.80 $35.80

-47.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$30.59 $30.59

85.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$17.40 $17.40

7.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$7.39 $7.39

-38.57%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$205 $205

134.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$6,463 $6,463

-11.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$54.5 $54.5

-16.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$42.64 $42.64

-15.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$96.7 $96.7

-16.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$71.1 $71.1

10.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$386 $386

189.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$388 $388

79.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$616 $616

490.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$565 $565

207.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$1,180 $1,180

135.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$764 $764

199.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$454 $454

-63.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

10.05

37.11%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Vilcabamba: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $386 in Vilcabamba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vilcabamba pays 170% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $30.00 in Vilcabamba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $196 per month, with Vilcabamba 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 Vilcabamba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vilcabamba wins on cost – living expenses run 44% 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, salaries run 170% lower in Vilcabamba. 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 $386 in Vilcabamba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $205 in Vilcabamba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $949 in Vilcabamba versus $1,368 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 $949 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 44% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.