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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $506 in Zabol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $792 in Zabol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,078 in Zabol.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 176% more expensive than Zabol, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Zabol is 62% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Zabol
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.40 Rp 60.2K
$1.95 $1.95
74.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.38 Rp 573.6K
$16.71 $16.71
93.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.00 Rp 88.6K
$4.62 $4.62
8.23%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.52 $0.52
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.04 $1.04
-
Cappuccino
$2.82 Rp 50.0K
$0.48 $0.48
487.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 Rp 24.4K
$0.42 $0.42
228.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 Rp 13.0K
$0.94 $0.94
-22.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.98 Rp 52.8K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.97 Rp 70.3K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Zabol
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.79 Rp 31.8K
$0.64 $0.64
179.69%
White Bread (500g)
$2.46 Rp 43.7K
$0.56 $0.56
339.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.20 Rp 21.2K
$1.94 $1.94
-38.14%
Eggs
$2.39 Rp 42.3K
$1.15 $1.15
107.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.40 Rp 255.1K
$3.54 $3.54
306.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.28 Rp 75.9K
$3.26 $3.26
31.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.82 Rp 209.4K
$10.10 $10.10
17.03%
Apples (1kg)
$3.78 Rp 67.0K
$0.84 $0.84
350.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 Rp 28.9K
$1.34 $1.34
21.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.80 Rp 49.6K
$0.83 $0.83
237.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 Rp 40.0K
$0.55 $0.55
310.91%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 Rp 35.3K
$0.52 $0.52
284.62%
Onion (1kg)
$2.21 Rp 39.2K
$0.46 $0.46
380.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 Rp 18.9K
$0.58 $0.58
84.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 Rp 13.5K
$0.23 $0.23
230.43%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$0.53 $0.53
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.49 $0.49
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.44 $1.44
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.13 Rp 55.4K
$2.24 $2.24
39.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.81 Rp 421.9K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.84 Rp 50.3K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 Rp 49.2K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Zabol
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,726
$0.17 $0.17
58.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.37 Rp 148.2K
$9.89 $9.89
-15.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 8,034
$0.34 $0.34
32.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,578
$0.27 $0.27
59.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.98 Rp 105.9K
$1.95 $1.95
206.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.80 Rp 14.2K
$0.78 $0.78
2.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.8K Rp 457.2M
$73.3K $73.3K
-64.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.8K Rp 563.4M
$54.2K $54.2K
-41.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Zabol
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.7 Rp 1.4M
$15.95 $15.95
406.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.14 Rp 73.3K
$2.11 $2.11
96.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.12 Rp 427.2K
$5.85 $5.85
312.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Zabol
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$97.8 Rp 1.7M
$16.26 $16.26
501.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.64 Rp 117.7K
$12.55 $12.55
-47.09%
Cinema Ticket
$4.04 Rp 71.5K
$1.53 $1.53
164.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Zabol
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$297 Rp 5.3M
$117 $117
152.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,590 Rp 116.7M
$1,936 $1,936
240.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Zabol
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.1 Rp 976.8K
$22.82 $22.82
141.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.51 Rp 682.1K
$24.76 $24.76
55.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.1 Rp 1.5M
$111 $111
-22.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.0 Rp 1.4M
$70.7 $70.7
10.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Zabol
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 Rp 17.5M
$285 $285
246.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$665 Rp 11.8M
$200 $200
232.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,446 Rp 61.0M
$643 $643
435.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,042 Rp 36.2M
$321 $321
536.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,829 Rp 50.1M
$1,142 $1,142
147.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,282 Rp 40.4M
$616 $616
270.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Zabol
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$169 Rp 3.0M
$149 $149
13.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
22.24
-40.29%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for Zabol: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Ubud, Bali and $285 in Zabol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 14% 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: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $17.00 in Zabol for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $107 per month, with Zabol 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 Zabol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Zabol?
Zabol wins on cost – living expenses run 176% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zabol the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or Zabol?
Ubud, Bali pays 14% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali vs Zabol?
Rent for a central apartment: $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $285 in Zabol. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and Zabol?
Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $117 in Zabol. 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 Zabol?
Supermarket bills run roughly 179% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Ubud, Bali or Zabol?
At $506 in Zabol versus $1,394 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zabol but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Zabol the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Zabol?
Both work as nomad bases, but Zabol delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $506 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zabol hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Zabol?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Zabol 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 Zabol gentler on the wallet – expenses run 176% 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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