Cost of Living Comparison Between Uluwatu, Bali and Batam Cost of Living Comparison Between Uluwatu, Bali and Batam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,759 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $660 in Batam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,176 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $1,103 in Batam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,593 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $1,546 in Batam.

Living in Uluwatu, Bali is roughly 166% more expensive than in Batam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Uluwatu, Bali is 32% above, Batam is 51% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Uluwatu, Bali
Batam
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.27 Rp 76.7K
$2.79 Rp 50.1K
53.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.90 Rp 717.1K
$9.30 Rp 167.2K
329.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.16 Rp 110.6K
$3.54 Rp 63.5K
74.01%
Cappuccino
$3.29 Rp 59.0K
$2.21 Rp 39.7K
48.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 Rp 29.2K
$1.33 Rp 24.0K
21.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 Rp 15.9K
$0.41 Rp 7,356
117.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.53 Rp 63.5K
$2.80 Rp 50.4K
26.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.76 Rp 85.5K
$4.02 Rp 72.3K
18.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Uluwatu, Bali
Batam
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.87 Rp 33.7K
$1.21 Rp 21.8K
54.55%
White Bread (500g)
$2.63 Rp 47.3K
$1.21 Rp 21.8K
117.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.27 Rp 22.8K
$0.85 Rp 15.3K
49.41%
Eggs
$2.57 Rp 46.1K
$1.36 Rp 24.4K
88.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.13 Rp 271.9K
$8.11 Rp 145.7K
86.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
$2.66 Rp 47.7K
64.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.43 Rp 223.3K
$4.82 Rp 86.7K
157.88%
Apples (1kg)
$3.96 Rp 71.2K
$2.38 Rp 42.7K
66.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 Rp 29.3K
$2.26 Rp 40.6K
-27.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.90 Rp 52.1K
$2.18 Rp 39.2K
33.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
$1.10 Rp 19.8K
113.64%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 Rp 36.0K
$1.01 Rp 18.1K
98.02%
Onion (1kg)
$2.30 Rp 41.4K
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
6.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 Rp 19.4K
$1.46 Rp 26.3K
-26.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$0.40 Rp 7,100
102.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.28 Rp 59.0K
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
23.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.45 Rp 439.4K
$13.68 Rp 245.8K
78.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.89 Rp 52.0K
$1.97 Rp 35.5K
46.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 Rp 51.6K
$2.64 Rp 47.4K
8.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Uluwatu, Bali
Batam
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 Rp 6,518
$0.47 Rp 8,417
-23.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.28 Rp 184.8K
$16.91 Rp 303.8K
-39.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.57 Rp 10.2K
$1.26 Rp 22.6K
-54.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 Rp 10.2K
$0.65 Rp 11.7K
-12.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.63 Rp 137.0K
$3.72 Rp 66.9K
105.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 Rp 19.0K
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
27.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.2K Rp 578.0M
$29.7K Rp 533.1M
8.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.3K Rp 723.6M
$19.2K Rp 344.2M
110.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Uluwatu, Bali
Batam
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.2 Rp 1.6M
$77.8 Rp 1.4M
13.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.47 Rp 80.4K
$3.96 Rp 71.2K
12.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.05 Rp 468.2K
$25.92 Rp 465.8K
0.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Uluwatu, Bali
Batam
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$115 Rp 2.1M
$30.33 Rp 545.1K
280.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.75 Rp 139.3K
$8.04 Rp 144.6K
-3.61%
Cinema Ticket
$4.70 Rp 84.5K
$3.08 Rp 55.4K
52.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Uluwatu, Bali
Batam
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$339 Rp 6.1M
$93.3 Rp 1.7M
263.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,595 Rp 136.5M
$3,643 Rp 65.5M
108.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Uluwatu, Bali
Batam
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.8 Rp 1.1M
$35.31 Rp 634.6K
72.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.63 Rp 766.1K
$20.55 Rp 369.3K
107.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.9 Rp 1.8M
$72.4 Rp 1.3M
35.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.1 Rp 1.5M
$26.40 Rp 474.4K
225.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Uluwatu, Bali
Batam
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,369 Rp 24.6M
$294 Rp 5.3M
365.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$920 Rp 16.5M
$166 Rp 3.0M
453.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,495 Rp 80.8M
$890 Rp 16.0M
405.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,803 Rp 50.4M
$560 Rp 10.1M
400.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,751 Rp 67.4M
$550 Rp 9.9M
581.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,040 Rp 54.6M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Uluwatu, Bali
Batam
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$334 Rp 6.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
13.88
-4.32%

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

Last update for Uluwatu, Bali: July 12, 2026

Last update for Batam: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,369 in Uluwatu, Bali and $294 in Batam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Uluwatu, Bali vs $9.00 in Batam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $185 per month, with Batam 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
Uluwatu, Bali vs Batam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Batam cheaper than Uluwatu, Bali?
Batam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 166% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,638 in Uluwatu, Bali and $990 in Batam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Uluwatu, Bali and Batam?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,369 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $294 in Batam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Batam runs roughly 64% less than in Uluwatu, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $339 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $93.3 in Batam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Uluwatu, Bali or in Batam?
At $660 in Batam versus $1,759 in Uluwatu, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Batam but tight or insufficient in Uluwatu, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Batam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Uluwatu, Bali or Batam more family-friendly?
For families, Batam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Uluwatu, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Uluwatu, Bali or Batam?
Safety-wise, Uluwatu, Bali and Batam 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Batam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 166% less than in Uluwatu, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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