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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,006 in Upington versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,576 in Upington versus $2,582 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,146 in Upington versus $3,757 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Upington costs roughly 29% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Upington is 25% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Upington
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.14 R 183
$3.42 Rp 58.7K
225.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.12 R 562
$32.96 Rp 566.5K
3.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.73 R 77.9
$5.08 Rp 87.3K
-6.89%
Cappuccino
$1.56 R 25.63
$2.82 Rp 48.5K
-44.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 R 16.17
$1.37 Rp 23.5K
-28.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67 R 11.02
$0.71 Rp 12.2K
-5.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.54 R 25.40
$2.97 Rp 51.0K
-48.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 R 42.52
$3.91 Rp 67.2K
-34.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Upington
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.88 R 14.49
$1.75 Rp 30.0K
-49.71%
White Bread (500g)
$1.11 R 18.22
$2.52 Rp 43.2K
-55.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.59 R 26.17
$1.21 Rp 20.8K
31.40%
Eggs
$2.41 R 39.71
$2.33 Rp 40.1K
3.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 R 124
$14.50 Rp 249.2K
-48.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.51 R 74.3
$4.36 Rp 74.9K
3.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.88 R 113
$12.05 Rp 207.0K
-42.90%
Apples (1kg)
$1.59 R 26.24
$3.82 Rp 65.6K
-58.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 R 23.97
$1.61 Rp 27.7K
-9.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.47 R 24.26
$2.70 Rp 46.5K
-45.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 R 26.11
$2.23 Rp 38.3K
-28.70%
Potato (1kg)
$1.33 R 21.89
$1.90 Rp 32.6K
-30.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.23 R 20.28
$2.18 Rp 37.5K
-43.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.05 R 17.27
$1.03 Rp 17.7K
1.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 R 14.76
$0.77 Rp 13.3K
16.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.50 R 41.13
$3.18 Rp 54.7K
-21.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.76 R 61.9
$23.23 Rp 399.2K
-83.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 R 22.85
$2.85 Rp 48.9K
-51.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 R 27.88
$2.72 Rp 46.7K
-37.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Upington
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.61 R 26.50
$0.29 Rp 5,022
455.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$8.43 Rp 144.8K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 R 18.85
$0.49 Rp 8,344
132.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.93 R 15.34
$0.45 Rp 7,812
106.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.96 R 65.2
$6.28 Rp 107.8K
-36.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 R 20.37
$0.85 Rp 14.6K
45.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K R 349.1K
$26.1K Rp 447.8M
-18.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K R 390.5K
$31.5K Rp 541.8M
-24.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Upington
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 R 1,983
$79.8 Rp 1.4M
50.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.74 R 589
$4.09 Rp 70.3K
773.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.99 R 675
$24.06 Rp 413.6K
70.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Upington
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.12 R 513
$96.2 Rp 1.7M
-67.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.53 Rp 112.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.74 R 111
$4.13 Rp 71.1K
63.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Upington
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 R 3,303
$297 Rp 5.1M
-32.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,263 R 70.2K
$6,661 Rp 114.5M
-36.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Upington
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.0 R 824
$55.0 Rp 944.5K
-9.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.69 R 522
$38.75 Rp 666.0K
-18.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.7 R 1,445
$89.6 Rp 1.5M
-2.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.4 R 1,292
$78.9 Rp 1.4M
-0.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Upington
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$365 R 6,014
$1,018 Rp 17.5M
-64.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$331 R 5,452
$660 Rp 11.3M
-49.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$561 R 9,248
$3,435 Rp 59.0M
-83.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$699 R 11.5K
$2,053 Rp 35.3M
-65.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$751 R 12.4K
$2,981 Rp 51.2M
-74.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$688 R 11.3K
$2,368 Rp 40.7M
-70.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Upington
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$779 R 12.8K
$172 Rp 3.0M
352.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.38
13.28
-14.31%

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

Last update for Upington: April 21, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $365 in Upington and $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Upington pays 353% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34 in Upington vs $33 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $171 vs $299, with Upington 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
Upington vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Upington or Ubud, Bali?
Upington wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Upington the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Upington or Ubud, Bali?
Upington pays 353% 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 Upington vs Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $365 in Upington versus $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Upington or Ubud, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Upington compared to Ubud, Bali?
All in, you'll spend $1,006 per month in Upington versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Upington or Ubud, Bali?
At $1,006 in Upington versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Upington but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Upington the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Upington or Ubud, Bali?
Both work as nomad bases, but Upington delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,006 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Upington hard to pass up.
How safe is Upington compared to Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Upington and Ubud, Bali 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 Upington gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% 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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