Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Wuwei

For one person, living is cheaper in Wuwei: $733 a month against $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,353
/mo nomad
Wuwei
🇨🇳 China
$733
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Wuwei

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 Wuwei actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,353 in Ubud, Bali versus $733 in Wuwei.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,353
  • Wuwei $733

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,180 in Wuwei.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,297
  • Wuwei $1,180

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,241 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,627 in Wuwei.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,241
  • Wuwei $1,627

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 85% more expensive than in Wuwei, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Wuwei is 46% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Wuwei
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.23 Rp 58.1K
$3.08 ¥20.56
4.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.88 Rp 627.8K
$22.44 ¥150
55.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.70 Rp 102.5K
$5.22 ¥34.89
9.20%
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.1K
$2.84 ¥18.98
-7.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
$0.48 ¥3.19
258.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$0.31 ¥2.09
161.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
$1.10 ¥7.38
140.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
$2.13 ¥14.25
105.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Wuwei
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$1.87 ¥12.48
-16.04%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 Rp 39.5K
$1.66 ¥11.12
31.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$0.96 ¥6.40
22.92%
Eggs
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
$1.60 ¥10.72
35.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.65 Rp 317.7K
$13.21 ¥88.3
33.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.78 Rp 68.0K
$3.28 ¥21.94
15.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.95 Rp 215.1K
$11.10 ¥74.2
7.66%
Apples (1kg)
$3.60 Rp 64.8K
$1.88 ¥12.58
91.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 Rp 28.6K
$1.33 ¥8.88
19.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 41.6K
$1.56 ¥10.42
48.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
$1.27 ¥8.47
50.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
$0.74 ¥4.95
140.54%
Onion (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.9K
$0.88 ¥5.91
164.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
$0.59 ¥3.91
69.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,509
$0.59 ¥3.94
-10.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
$3.66 ¥24.46
-37.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.07 Rp 397.3K
$11.48 ¥76.8
92.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
$0.81 ¥5.41
190.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 Rp 53.6K
$1.62 ¥10.80
83.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Wuwei
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 Rp 4,112
$0.31 ¥2.10
-25.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.90 Rp 160.2K
$18.18 ¥122
-51.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 Rp 8,466
$1.48 ¥9.89
-68.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,737
$0.32 ¥2.16
34.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.47 Rp 98.4K
$6.98 ¥46.68
-21.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
$1.24 ¥8.32
-33.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.9K Rp 429.8M
$19.2K ¥128.4K
24.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K Rp 590.1M
$17.5K ¥117.0K
87.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Wuwei
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
$58.3 ¥390
37.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.56 Rp 118.1K
$8.80 ¥58.9
-25.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.60 Rp 334.8K
$11.15 ¥74.5
66.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Wuwei
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 Rp 974.1K
$41.14 ¥275
31.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.28 Rp 329.0K
$14.81 ¥99.0
23.43%
Cinema Ticket
$4.25 Rp 76.5K
$6.26 ¥41.83
-32.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Wuwei
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
$413 ¥2,758
19.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,597 Rp 100.7M
$17.3K ¥115.5K
-67.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Wuwei
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.58 Rp 820.4K
$43.42 ¥290
4.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.96 Rp 629.4K
$33.64 ¥225
3.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
$75.6 ¥505
2.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
$75.1 ¥502
4.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Wuwei
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,131 Rp 20.4M
$303 ¥2,026
273.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.1M
$180 ¥1,203
273.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,613 Rp 65.0M
$619 ¥4,141
483.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,702 Rp 30.6M
$380 ¥2,544
347.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,717 Rp 48.9M
$3,451 ¥23.1K
-21.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
$1,938 ¥13.0K
15.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Wuwei
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
$612 ¥4,091
-72.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
3.36
310.12%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Last update for Wuwei: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$673
Wuwei
$180 73.3% $493
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$287
Wuwei
$208 27.4% $79
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$107
Wuwei
$103 3.8% $4
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
Wuwei
$87 18% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$105
Wuwei
$78 25.6% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$63
Wuwei
$54 14.3% $9
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
Wuwei
$23 81.3% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,131 in Ubud, Bali and $303 in Wuwei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wuwei pays 268% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $22.00 in Wuwei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $208 per month, with Wuwei cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇨🇳 Wuwei
🕒 Local time
12:15 12:15 PM
12:15 12:15 PM
Same time as Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
1,464,955
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Wuwei 5,330 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Wuwei

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 Wuwei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Wuwei?
Wuwei wins on cost – living expenses run 85% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Wuwei the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or in Wuwei?
On paper, salaries run 268% lower in Wuwei. 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 Wuwei?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,131 in Ubud, Bali versus $303 in Wuwei. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Wuwei?
Childcare runs $493 in Ubud, Bali versus $413 in Wuwei. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or in Wuwei?
Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in Wuwei?
At $733 in Wuwei versus $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Wuwei but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Wuwei the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Wuwei?
Both work as nomad bases, but Wuwei delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $733 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Wuwei hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Wuwei?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Wuwei 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 Wuwei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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