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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $526 in Vavuniya versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $838 in Vavuniya versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,149 in Vavuniya versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Vavuniya costs roughly 63% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Vavuniya is 61% below, Ubud, Bali is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 LKR 1,295

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

13.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.48 LKR 5,255

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

-49.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.27 LKR 2,637

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

63.12%

Cappuccino

$2.63 LKR 840

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

-7.07%

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

$0.41 LKR 132

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

-69.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 LKR 109

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

-50.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 730

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

-23.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 LKR 1,063

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

-13.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 LKR 565

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 178

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

-77.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 280

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

-26.05%

Eggs

$2.22 LKR 709

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

-8.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 LKR 4,532

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

-3.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 LKR 1,503

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

12.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.96 LKR 2,540

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

-33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$7.54 LKR 2,405

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

104.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 343

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

-32.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 LKR 1,822

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

112.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 384

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

-48.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 355

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

-41.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 435

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

-37.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 364

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 190

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.02 LKR 3,197

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

220.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.33 LKR 3,931

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

-47.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 LKR 643

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

-26.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 915

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

-0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 133

$0.45 Rp 7,863

-6.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 105

$0.42 Rp 7,305

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 184

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

-90.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 402

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

50.00%

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

$26.9K LKR 8.6M

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

2.48%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.2M

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

7.75%

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

$59.3 LKR 18.9K

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-24.36%

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

$4.26 LKR 1,358

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

7.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.36 LKR 4,898

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

-37.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$3.38 LKR 1,078

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

-16.34%

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

$37.46 LKR 11.9K

$303 Rp 5.2M

-87.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$445 LKR 141.8K

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

-93.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.93 LKR 8,908

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

-48.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.54 LKR 6,230

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

-48.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 LKR 22.4K

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

-18.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.52 LKR 12.3K

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-51.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

13.28

23.87%

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

Last update for Vavuniya: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $16.00 in Vavuniya vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $298 per month, with Vavuniya 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

Vavuniya vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vavuniya wins on cost – living expenses run 173% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Vavuniya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $789 in Vavuniya and $2,158 in Ubud, Bali 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $526 per month in Vavuniya versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali – a 173% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $526 in Vavuniya versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Vavuniya but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Vavuniya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Vavuniya delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $526 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Vavuniya hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Vavuniya 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.

Expats usually find Vavuniya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 173% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.