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: $3,723 in Washington, DC versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,945 in Washington, DC versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,167 in Washington, DC versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Washington, DC 177% above, Ubud, Bali 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.42 $27.42

$3.57 Rp 64.7K

668.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$32.50 Rp 589.5K

262.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 $12.17

$4.86 Rp 88.2K

150.41%

Cappuccino

$5.88 $5.88

$2.75 Rp 49.8K

113.82%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$1.32 Rp 24.0K

127.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

288.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$2.91 Rp 52.8K

182.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.93 $9.93

$3.79 Rp 68.8K

162.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.71 Rp 31.0K

-30.41%

White Bread (500g)

$4.60 $4.60

$2.47 Rp 44.9K

86.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.94 $6.94

$1.20 Rp 21.8K

478.33%

Eggs

$4.37 $4.37

$2.44 Rp 44.3K

79.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.93 $17.93

$14.38 Rp 260.9K

24.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.44 $15.44

$4.31 Rp 78.1K

258.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.85 $19.85

$12.21 Rp 221.4K

62.57%

Apples (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$3.68 Rp 66.8K

63.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.55 Rp 28.1K

27.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$2.79 Rp 50.5K

92.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.63 $6.63

$2.33 Rp 42.3K

184.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.97 Rp 35.7K

76.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.31 Rp 41.9K

60.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.06 Rp 19.3K

151.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

242.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.32 $12.32

$3.28 Rp 59.5K

275.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.29 $16.29

$22.79 Rp 413.4K

-28.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.81 Rp 50.9K

2.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.78 Rp 50.5K

62.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$0.29 Rp 5,281

827.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.8 $73.8

$8.06 Rp 146.2K

815.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 $3.99

$0.45 Rp 8,146

786.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 $2.45

$0.45 Rp 8,193

444.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.03 $30.03

$6.24 Rp 113.1K

381.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.85 Rp 15.4K

14.12%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$26.0K Rp 471.2M

14.27%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$31.7K Rp 574.1M

-17.13%

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

$206 $206

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

155.49%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$4.06 Rp 73.6K

1373.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 $69.4

$24.42 Rp 442.9K

184.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$111 $111

$97.7 Rp 1.8M

13.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.44 $38.44

$6.45 Rp 116.9K

495.97%

Cinema Ticket

$17.03 $17.03

$4.04 Rp 73.3K

321.53%

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

$2,654 $2,654

$304 Rp 5.5M

772.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.9K $39.9K

$6,621 Rp 120.1M

502.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.9 $78.9

$54.2 Rp 983.6K

45.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$38.78 Rp 703.2K

29.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$86.1 Rp 1.6M

18.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

86.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,593 $2,593

$986 Rp 17.9M

163.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 $2,050

$658 Rp 11.9M

211.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,998 $5,998

$3,369 Rp 61.1M

78.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,240 $4,240

$2,066 Rp 37.5M

105.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,526 $8,526

$2,741 Rp 49.7M

211.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,297 $3,297

$2,228 Rp 40.4M

48.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,120 $7,120

$163 Rp 3.0M

4256.72%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,593 in Washington, DC and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Washington, DC pays 4257% 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: $118 in Washington, DC vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $505 vs $297 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.

Washington, DC pays 4257% more on average, 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: $2,593 in Washington, DC versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,654 in Washington, DC versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Washington, DC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,723 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 $1,404 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.