Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and West Caldwell, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,353 a month against $2,828 in West Caldwell, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,353
/mo nomad
West Caldwell, NJ
🇺🇸 United States
$2,828
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in West Caldwell, NJ

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in West Caldwell, NJ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,353 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,828 in West Caldwell, NJ.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,353
  • West Caldwell, NJ $2,828

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,976 in West Caldwell, NJ.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,297
  • West Caldwell, NJ $3,976

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,241 in Ubud, Bali versus $5,123 in West Caldwell, NJ.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,241
  • West Caldwell, NJ $5,123

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 52% less than in West Caldwell, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, West Caldwell, NJ 109% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
West Caldwell, NJ
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.23 Rp 58.1K
$21.87 $21.87
-85.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.88 Rp 627.8K
$79.2 $79.2
-55.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.70 Rp 102.5K
$12.69 $12.69
-55.08%
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.1K
$5.29 $5.29
-50.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
$3.00 $3.00
-42.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$2.30 $2.30
-64.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
$5.83 $5.83
-54.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
$7.85 $7.85
-44.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
West Caldwell, NJ
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$1.40 $1.40
12.14%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 Rp 39.5K
$4.42 $4.42
-50.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$7.20 $7.20
-83.61%
Eggs
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
$5.10 $5.10
-57.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.65 Rp 317.7K
$12.32 $12.32
43.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.78 Rp 68.0K
$12.94 $12.94
-70.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.95 Rp 215.1K
$18.08 $18.08
-33.90%
Apples (1kg)
$3.60 Rp 64.8K
$5.41 $5.41
-33.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 Rp 28.6K
$1.53 $1.53
3.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 41.6K
$5.06 $5.06
-54.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
$5.29 $5.29
-63.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
$2.86 $2.86
-37.76%
Onion (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.9K
$3.08 $3.08
-24.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
$2.50 $2.50
-60.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,509
$2.42 $2.42
-78.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
$12.02 $12.02
-80.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.07 Rp 397.3K
$15.29 $15.29
44.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
$2.40 $2.40
-2.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 Rp 53.6K
$4.43 $4.43
-32.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
West Caldwell, NJ
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 Rp 4,112
$2.28 $2.28
-89.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.90 Rp 160.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 Rp 8,466
$2.71 $2.71
-82.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,737
$1.54 $1.54
-72.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.47 Rp 98.4K
$24.39 $24.39
-77.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
$1.10 $1.10
-24.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.9K Rp 429.8M
$31.4K $31.4K
-23.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K Rp 590.1M
$25.8K $25.8K
27.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
West Caldwell, NJ
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
$217 $217
-63.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.56 Rp 118.1K
$63.1 $63.1
-89.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.60 Rp 334.8K
$65.3 $65.3
-71.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
West Caldwell, NJ
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 Rp 974.1K
$38.56 $38.56
40.35%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.28 Rp 329.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.25 Rp 76.5K
$15.60 $15.60
-72.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
West Caldwell, NJ
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
$2,198 $2,198
-77.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,597 Rp 100.7M
$42.8K $42.8K
-86.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
West Caldwell, NJ
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.58 Rp 820.4K
$47.95 $47.95
-4.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.96 Rp 629.4K
$47.46 $47.46
-26.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
$103 $103
-24.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
$138 $138
-43.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
West Caldwell, NJ
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,131 Rp 20.4M
$1,626 $1,626
-30.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.1M
$1,447 $1,447
-53.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,613 Rp 65.0M
$2,196 $2,196
64.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,702 Rp 30.6M
$2,075 $2,075
-18.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,717 Rp 48.9M
$2,488 $2,488
9.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
$2,482 $2,482
-9.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
West Caldwell, NJ
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
$2,996 $2,996
-94.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
6.62
108.16%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Last update for West Caldwell, NJ: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$673
West Caldwell, NJ
$1.4K 115% $775
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$287
West Caldwell, NJ
$451 57.2% $164
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$107
West Caldwell, NJ
$152 42.4% $45
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
West Caldwell, NJ
$343 222% $236
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$105
West Caldwell, NJ
$346 229% $240
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$63
West Caldwell, NJ
$70 11.4% $7.1
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
West Caldwell, NJ
$20 * 57.1% $7.1

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,131 in Ubud, Bali and $1,626 in West Caldwell, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

West Caldwell, NJ pays 1701% 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: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $79.0 in West Caldwell, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $451 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇺🇸 West Caldwell, NJ
🕒 Local time
15:37 3:37 PM
03:37 3:37 AM
12 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
10,797
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali West Caldwell, NJ 16,300 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • West Caldwell, NJ

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 West Caldwell, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or West Caldwell, NJ?
Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 109% lower than in West Caldwell, NJ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or in West Caldwell, NJ?
On paper, salaries run 1701% lower in West Caldwell, NJ. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali compared to West Caldwell, NJ?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,131 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,626 in West Caldwell, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or in West Caldwell, NJ?
Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in West Caldwell, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Ubud, Bali compared to West Caldwell, NJ?
All in, you'll spend $1,353 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $2,828 in West Caldwell, NJ – a 109% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in West Caldwell, NJ?
At $1,353 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,828 in West Caldwell, NJ, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in West Caldwell, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or West Caldwell, NJ?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,353 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to West Caldwell, NJ?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and West Caldwell, NJ are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in West Caldwell, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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