Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Zhubei City Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Zhubei City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,059 in Zhubei City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,837 in Zhubei City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,616 in Zhubei City.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 29% more expensive than in Zhubei City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Zhubei City is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$4.70 NT$150

-26.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$27.90 NT$888

30.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$5.16 NT$164

10.66%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$3.06 NT$97.4

-12.75%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.95 NT$30.28

84.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.56 NT$17.98

55.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$1.88 NT$59.7

56.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$2.56 NT$81.4

76.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.96 NT$94.1

-45.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.83 NT$58.2

27.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$4.63 NT$147

-76.03%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.87 NT$91.3

-23.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$25.09 NT$799

-29.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$8.74 NT$278

-53.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$25.46 NT$810

-52.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$4.11 NT$131

-9.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$2.55 NT$81.1

-37.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$2.78 NT$88.6

-17.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$3.41 NT$108

-42.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$3.05 NT$97.0

-37.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.05 NT$65.3

13.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$2.01 NT$64.1

-49.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$1.35 NT$42.93

-59.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$4.00 NT$127

-44.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$9.29 NT$296

148.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.42 NT$45.21

70.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.02 NT$64.2

48.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.60 NT$19.09

-55.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$3.11 NT$98.9

-84.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.65 NT$20.55

-33.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$9.36 NT$298

-39.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.03 NT$32.78

-22.33%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$33.7K NT$1.1M

-26.02%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$25.3K NT$805.1K

25.38%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$103 NT$3,268

-20.66%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$19.77 NT$629

-67.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$23.52 NT$749

-20.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$31.76 NT$1,011

79.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$10.06 NT$320

-54.87%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$663 NT$21.1K

-27.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$16.7K NT$532.7K

-65.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$58.3 NT$1,856

-21.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$32.07 NT$1,021

11.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$94.1 NT$2,994

-14.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$98.2 NT$3,126

-19.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$500 NT$15.9K

122.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$216 NT$6,882

222.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,124 NT$35.8K

223.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$785 NT$25.0K

121.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$16.4K NT$521.6K

-83.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$9,587 NT$305.2K

-76.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$2,410 NT$76.7K

-93.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

2.4

474.17%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Zhubei City: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $500 in Zhubei City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhubei City pays 1335% 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 $28.00 in Zhubei City. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $404, with Ubud, Bali cheaper for home cooking.

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 Zhubei City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zhubei City wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zhubei City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1335% lower in Zhubei City. 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 $500 in Zhubei City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Ubud, Bali pay roughly 37% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,059 in Zhubei City – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,059 in Zhubei City versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zhubei City but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Zhubei City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Zhubei City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,059 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zhubei City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Zhubei City 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 Zhubei City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.