Cost of Living Comparison Between Washington, DC and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Washington, DC and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,688 in Washington, DC versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,851 in Washington, DC versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,014 in Washington, DC versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Washington, DC is roughly 165% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Washington, DC 177% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.75 $27.75

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

677.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

276.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 $11.81

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

135.73%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

106.03%

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

$3.11 $3.11

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

130.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

269.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 $8.20

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

179.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.95 $9.95

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

152.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

-33.15%

White Bread (500g)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

87.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.08 $7.08

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

515.65%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

76.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.45 $17.45

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

21.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.49 $15.49

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

269.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.89 $19.89

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

64.93%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

66.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

31.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

88.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

193.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

81.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

64.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

156.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

220.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.53 $12.53

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

292.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

-33.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

-1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

64.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$0.27 Rp 4,821

896.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.7 $74.7

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

791.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 $4.02

$0.45 Rp 8,180

793.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.46 Rp 8,311

428.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.45 $29.45

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

385.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

11.63%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

12.13%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

-20.91%

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

$206 $206

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

160.40%

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

$59.2 $59.2

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

1348.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

181.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 $109

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

10.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.15 $38.15

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

500.79%

Cinema Ticket

$17.05 $17.05

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

325.19%

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

$2,648 $2,648

$297 Rp 5.4M

790.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.5K $40.5K

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

512.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.2 $80.2

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

50.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.30 $49.30

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

29.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

15.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

86.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,575 $2,575

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

152.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,056 $2,056

$680 Rp 12.3M

202.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,914 $5,914

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

70.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,251 $4,251

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

103.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,632 $8,632

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

216.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,300 $3,300

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

43.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,185 $7,185

$164 Rp 3.0M

4289.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.48

13.28

-51.20%

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

Last update for Washington, DC: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,575 in Washington, DC and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Washington, DC pays 4289% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $122 in Washington, DC vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $503 vs $298 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 165% lower than in Washington, DC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 4289% higher in Washington, DC, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,575 in Washington, DC versus $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,648 in Washington, DC versus $297 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% higher in Washington, DC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,688 in Washington, DC, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Washington, DC. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,392 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Washington, DC 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 165% less than in Washington, DC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.