Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhubei City and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Zhubei City: $1,055 a month against $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ubud, Bali outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Zhubei City
🇹🇼 Taiwan
$1,055
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,368
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zhubei City and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zhubei City and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,055 in Zhubei City versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Zhubei City $1,055
  • Ubud, Bali $1,368

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,841 in Zhubei City versus $2,314 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Zhubei City $1,841
  • Ubud, Bali $2,314

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,627 in Zhubei City versus $3,260 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Zhubei City $2,627
  • Ubud, Bali $3,260

Living in Zhubei City costs roughly 23% less than in Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zhubei City is 22% below, Ubud, Bali is 1% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.83 NT$157
$3.33 Rp 59.9K
45.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.00 NT$908
$35.18 Rp 633.2K
-20.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.07 NT$164
$5.80 Rp 104.5K
-12.59%
Cappuccino
$2.89 NT$93.8
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
5.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 NT$29.41
$1.64 Rp 29.5K
-44.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 NT$19.02
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
-28.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.93 NT$62.5
$2.70 Rp 48.6K
-28.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 NT$75.6
$4.30 Rp 77.4K
-45.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.79 NT$90.4
$1.50 Rp 27.1K
86.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.87 NT$60.7
$2.30 Rp 41.4K
-18.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.59 NT$149
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
288.98%
Eggs
$2.85 NT$92.5
$2.14 Rp 38.6K
33.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.76 NT$803
$17.48 Rp 314.6K
41.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 NT$271
$4.03 Rp 72.5K
107.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.93 NT$841
$12.23 Rp 220.1K
112.02%
Apples (1kg)
$4.04 NT$131
$3.55 Rp 63.9K
13.80%
Banana (1kg)
$2.42 NT$78.5
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
54.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.69 NT$87.3
$2.24 Rp 40.2K
20.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.27 NT$106
$1.93 Rp 34.7K
69.43%
Potato (1kg)
$3.02 NT$97.9
$1.88 Rp 33.9K
60.64%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 NT$65.5
$2.29 Rp 41.3K
-11.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.06 NT$66.9
$0.99 Rp 17.9K
108.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.33 NT$43.25
$0.53 Rp 9,475
150.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.88 NT$126
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
70.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.23 NT$299
$23.01 Rp 414.2K
-59.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43 NT$46.36
$2.34 Rp 42.2K
-38.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 NT$75.4
$2.91 Rp 52.4K
-19.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.61 NT$19.85
$0.24 Rp 4,315
154.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$8.82 Rp 158.7K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.10 NT$101
$0.48 Rp 8,684
545.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 NT$20.76
$0.46 Rp 8,233
39.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.25 NT$300
$5.45 Rp 98.2K
69.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 NT$32.17
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
12.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.5K NT$1.1M
$24.6K Rp 442.2M
36.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.8K NT$805.7K
$31.2K Rp 561.4M
-20.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$103 NT$3,331
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
23.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.96 NT$615
$6.45 Rp 116.0K
193.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.80 NT$739
$18.57 Rp 334.2K
22.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.40 NT$1,018
$55.8 Rp 1.0M
-43.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.11 Rp 326.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.99 NT$324
$4.38 Rp 78.9K
128.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$646 NT$20.9K
$493 Rp 8.9M
30.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.5K NT$533.8K
$5,754 Rp 103.6M
186.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.7 NT$1,870
$46.19 Rp 831.4K
24.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.13 NT$1,010
$35.33 Rp 636.0K
-11.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.8 NT$2,946
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
14.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.0 NT$3,209
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
26.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$501 NT$16.2K
$1,142 Rp 20.6M
-56.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$217 NT$7,032
$676 Rp 12.2M
-67.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,100 NT$35.7K
$3,503 Rp 63.1M
-68.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$768 NT$24.9K
$1,700 Rp 30.6M
-54.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$16.2K NT$525.9K
$2,784 Rp 50.1M
482.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$9,751 NT$316.2K
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
335.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,391 NT$77.5K
$165 Rp 3.0M
1353.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.4
13.78
-82.58%

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

Last update for Zhubei City: October 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Zhubei City
$400
Ubud, Bali
$290 27.3% $109
Accommodation & Living
Zhubei City
$217
Ubud, Bali
$676 212% $459
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zhubei City
$144
Ubud, Bali
$108 25.2% $36
Clothing & Footwear
Zhubei City
$125
Ubud, Bali
$108 14.2% $18
Eating Out
Zhubei City
$109
Ubud, Bali
$109 0% $0
Sport & Entertainment
Zhubei City
$51
Ubud, Bali
$65 25.7% $13
Getting Around
Zhubei City
$8.8 *
Ubud, Bali
$13 43.4% $3.8

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $501 in Zhubei City and $1,142 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhubei City pays 1353% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Zhubei City vs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $400 vs $290, with Ubud, Bali cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇼 Zhubei City
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
07:28 7:28 AM
07:28 7:28 AM
Same time as Zhubei City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
211,746
74,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to TWD – New Taiwan Dollar Converter

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 32.43 TWD (100 TWD = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 36.46 TWD (100 TWD = 2.74 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Zhubei City Ubud, Bali 3,760 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Zhubei City
  • Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Zhubei City vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Zhubei City or Ubud, Bali?
Zhubei City wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zhubei City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Zhubei City or in Ubud, Bali?
Average pay runs 1353% higher in Zhubei City, 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 Zhubei City compared to Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $501 in Zhubei City versus $1,142 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Zhubei City or in Ubud, Bali?
Shoppers in Ubud, Bali pay roughly 38% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Zhubei City compared to Ubud, Bali?
All in, you'll spend $1,055 per month in Zhubei City versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Zhubei City or in Ubud, Bali?
At $1,055 in Zhubei City versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zhubei City but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Zhubei City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Zhubei City or Ubud, Bali?
Both work as nomad bases, but Zhubei City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,055 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zhubei City hard to pass up.
How safe is Zhubei City compared to Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Zhubei City 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 Zhubei City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Zhubei City vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?