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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,122 in Vac versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,777 in Vac versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,431 in Vac versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Vac costs roughly 21% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Vac is 16% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vac
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.80 Ft 2,685
$3.56 Rp 63.7K
147.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.58 Ft 14.2K
$32.73 Rp 584.5K
42.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.45 Ft 2,577
$4.95 Rp 88.4K
70.71%
Cappuccino
$2.14 Ft 653
$2.71 Rp 48.4K
-21.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 Ft 438
$1.34 Rp 24.0K
7.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 Ft 329
$0.70 Rp 12.5K
54.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.89 Ft 577
$2.92 Rp 52.1K
-35.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 Ft 694
$3.96 Rp 70.7K
-42.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vac
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 Ft 324
$1.81 Rp 32.3K
-41.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 Ft 471
$2.52 Rp 45.0K
-38.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 Ft 585
$1.16 Rp 20.7K
65.52%
Eggs
$2.69 Ft 820
$2.46 Rp 43.9K
9.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.15 Ft 2,790
$14.71 Rp 262.7K
-37.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.83 Ft 1,777
$4.32 Rp 77.1K
34.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.88 Ft 3,625
$12.14 Rp 216.7K
-2.14%
Apples (1kg)
$1.87 Ft 571
$3.84 Rp 68.6K
-51.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 Ft 577
$1.56 Rp 27.8K
21.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.04 Ft 623
$2.83 Rp 50.6K
-27.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.12 Ft 952
$2.33 Rp 41.5K
33.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 Ft 335
$1.91 Rp 34.2K
-42.41%
Onion (1kg)
$1.25 Ft 382
$2.20 Rp 39.3K
-43.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 Ft 457
$1.01 Rp 18.1K
48.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 Ft 172
$0.78 Rp 13.8K
-28.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.65 Ft 2,029
$3.32 Rp 59.2K
100.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.44 Ft 1,658
$23.74 Rp 423.9K
-77.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 Ft 333
$2.79 Rp 49.8K
-60.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 Ft 431
$2.86 Rp 51.1K
-50.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Vac
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.14 Ft 347
$0.27 Rp 4,800
322.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$24.88 Ft 7,588
$8.03 Rp 143.4K
209.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.97 Ft 904
$0.46 Rp 8,150
545.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.11 Ft 337
$0.45 Rp 8,037
146.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.31 Ft 5,280
$6.10 Rp 108.9K
183.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 Ft 539
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
124.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.2K Ft 8.0M
$26.1K Rp 467.0M
0.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.6K Ft 9.3M
$32.1K Rp 573.6M
-4.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vac
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$141 Ft 42.9K
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
76.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.12 Ft 7,965
$4.06 Rp 72.6K
543.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.74 Ft 6,021
$23.52 Rp 420.0K
-16.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vac
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.11 Ft 14.4K
$98.7 Rp 1.8M
-52.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98 Ft 5,177
$6.63 Rp 118.4K
156.11%
Cinema Ticket
$7.29 Ft 2,224
$4.15 Rp 74.1K
75.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vac
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$300 Ft 91.4K
$304 Rp 5.4M
-1.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,697 Ft 2.0M
$6,613 Rp 118.1M
1.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vac
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.0 Ft 21.7K
$55.5 Rp 991.8K
27.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.75 Ft 8,463
$38.31 Rp 684.1K
-27.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.4 Ft 22.4K
$88.6 Rp 1.6M
-17.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.9 Ft 25.9K
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
8.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vac
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$436 Ft 132.8K
$1,006 Rp 18.0M
-56.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$341 Ft 104.1K
$675 Rp 12.1M
-49.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$766 Ft 233.7K
$3,442 Rp 61.5M
-77.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$705 Ft 215.1K
$2,039 Rp 36.4M
-65.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,233 Ft 985.9K
$2,841 Rp 50.7M
13.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,480 Ft 756.4K
$2,264 Rp 40.4M
9.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vac
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,534 Ft 468.0K
$165 Rp 3.0M
828.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.4
13.28
-44.28%

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

Last update for Vac: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Vac and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vac pays 829% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Vac vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $302, with Vac 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
Vac vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Vac or Ubud, Bali?
Vac wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Vac the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Vac or Ubud, Bali?
Vac pays 829% 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 Vac vs Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $436 in Vac versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Vac and Ubud, Bali?
Childcare runs $300 in Vac versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Vac or Ubud, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 38% 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 Vac or Ubud, Bali?
At $1,122 in Vac versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Vac but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Vac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Vac or Ubud, Bali?
Both work as nomad bases, but Vac delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,122 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Vac hard to pass up.
How safe is Vac compared to Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Vac 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 Vac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% 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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