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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,397 in Ubud, Bali versus $744 in Zhangjiakou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,588 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,166 in Zhangjiakou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,778 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,589 in Zhangjiakou.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 88% more expensive than in Zhangjiakou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Zhangjiakou is 44% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Zhangjiakou
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.43 Rp 61.4K
$2.07 ¥13.99
65.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.97 Rp 572.5K
$27.97 ¥189
14.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.05 Rp 90.5K
$5.40 ¥36.57
-6.48%
Cappuccino
$2.71 Rp 48.6K
$3.18 ¥21.53
-14.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 Rp 24.9K
$0.43 ¥2.94
223.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 Rp 13.3K
$0.29 ¥1.97
155.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.89 Rp 51.8K
$0.86 ¥5.80
236.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 Rp 67.9K
$1.91 ¥12.91
98.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Zhangjiakou
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.79 Rp 32.1K
$1.70 ¥11.52
5.29%
White Bread (500g)
$2.51 Rp 44.9K
$1.78 ¥12.05
41.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.21 Rp 21.8K
$0.94 ¥6.33
28.72%
Eggs
$2.37 Rp 42.4K
$0.98 ¥6.62
141.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.43 Rp 258.4K
$14.12 ¥95.6
2.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.15 Rp 74.3K
$2.76 ¥18.68
50.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.11 Rp 217.0K
$9.10 ¥61.6
33.08%
Apples (1kg)
$3.77 Rp 67.5K
$1.26 ¥8.51
199.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 Rp 29.1K
$0.87 ¥5.89
87.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.71 Rp 48.5K
$1.38 ¥9.31
96.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 Rp 40.4K
$1.14 ¥7.69
98.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 Rp 34.5K
$0.78 ¥5.31
147.44%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 Rp 39.3K
$0.57 ¥3.88
284.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 Rp 18.2K
$0.55 ¥3.71
85.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 Rp 12.8K
$0.86 ¥5.80
-16.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.18 Rp 57.0K
$3.42 ¥23.15
-7.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.84 Rp 426.9K
$13.56 ¥91.8
75.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.77 Rp 49.7K
$1.21 ¥8.22
128.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 Rp 49.3K
$2.36 ¥15.96
16.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Zhangjiakou
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,787
$0.27 ¥1.81
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.20 Rp 146.8K
$16.95 ¥115
-51.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,656
$0.92 ¥6.25
-47.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,547
$0.33 ¥2.25
27.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.03 Rp 108.0K
$6.13 ¥41.48
-1.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 Rp 14.7K
$1.14 ¥7.72
-28.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K Rp 475.7M
$16.8K ¥113.9K
57.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K Rp 576.7M
$19.6K ¥132.8K
64.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Zhangjiakou
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.3 Rp 1.4M
$87.2 ¥590
-10.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.91 Rp 70.1K
$7.10 ¥48.06
-44.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.91 Rp 428.3K
$7.06 ¥47.76
238.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Zhangjiakou
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$96.2 Rp 1.7M
$42.40 ¥287
126.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.53 Rp 116.9K
$14.06 ¥95.1
-53.56%
Cinema Ticket
$4.01 Rp 71.9K
$6.42 ¥43.46
-37.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Zhangjiakou
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$303 Rp 5.4M
$318 ¥2,149
-4.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,551 Rp 117.3M
$4,944 ¥33.5K
32.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Zhangjiakou
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.3 Rp 990.6K
$38.72 ¥262
42.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.32 Rp 686.3K
$28.56 ¥193
34.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.5 Rp 1.6M
$75.9 ¥514
16.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.7 Rp 1.4M
$55.8 ¥378
37.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Zhangjiakou
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$986 Rp 17.7M
$281 ¥1,900
251.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$682 Rp 12.2M
$187 ¥1,267
264.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,420 Rp 61.3M
$598 ¥4,047
471.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,075 Rp 37.2M
$367 ¥2,482
465.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,762 Rp 49.5M
$3,554 ¥24.0K
-22.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,243 Rp 40.2M
$1,912 ¥12.9K
17.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Zhangjiakou
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$169 Rp 3.0M
$381 ¥2,577
-55.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
4.35
205.29%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 22, 2026

Last update for Zhangjiakou: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $281 in Zhangjiakou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhangjiakou pays 126% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $28.00 in Zhangjiakou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $203 per month, with Zhangjiakou 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 Zhangjiakou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Zhangjiakou?
Zhangjiakou wins on cost – living expenses run 88% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zhangjiakou the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or in Zhangjiakou?
On paper, salaries run 126% lower in Zhangjiakou. 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 Zhangjiakou?
Rent for a central apartment: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $281 in Zhangjiakou. 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 Zhangjiakou?
Childcare runs $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $318 in Zhangjiakou. 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 Zhangjiakou?
Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Ubud, Bali or in Zhangjiakou?
At $744 in Zhangjiakou versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zhangjiakou but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Zhangjiakou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Zhangjiakou?
Both work as nomad bases, but Zhangjiakou delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $744 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zhangjiakou hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Zhangjiakou?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Zhangjiakou 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 Zhangjiakou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities