Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhubei City and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhubei City and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,140 in Zhubei City versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,070 in Zhubei City versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,001 in Zhubei City versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Zhubei City costs roughly 19% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zhubei City is 15% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.19 NT$168
$3.45 Rp 62.0K
50.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.12 NT$1,103
$32.34 Rp 580.1K
5.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.68 NT$184
$4.84 Rp 86.9K
17.36%
Cappuccino
$3.56 NT$115
$2.75 Rp 49.3K
29.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 NT$29.25
$1.38 Rp 24.8K
-34.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 NT$20.04
$0.75 Rp 13.5K
-17.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.24 NT$72.2
$2.99 Rp 53.7K
-25.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 NT$89.0
$3.85 Rp 69.1K
-28.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.11 NT$101
$1.74 Rp 31.1K
78.74%
White Bread (500g)
$2.06 NT$66.5
$2.46 Rp 44.1K
-16.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.34 NT$140
$1.17 Rp 21.0K
270.94%
Eggs
$2.91 NT$94.0
$2.43 Rp 43.6K
19.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.84 NT$447
$14.50 Rp 260.2K
-4.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.46 NT$273
$4.35 Rp 78.0K
94.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$28.32 NT$915
$11.98 Rp 214.9K
136.39%
Apples (1kg)
$4.34 NT$140
$3.72 Rp 66.7K
16.67%
Banana (1kg)
$2.63 NT$85.1
$1.63 Rp 29.2K
61.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.73 NT$88.1
$2.74 Rp 49.2K
-0.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.91 NT$126
$2.24 Rp 40.2K
74.55%
Potato (1kg)
$4.04 NT$131
$1.92 Rp 34.4K
110.42%
Onion (1kg)
$2.53 NT$81.7
$2.28 Rp 40.8K
10.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.64 NT$85.4
$1.06 Rp 19.1K
149.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.33 NT$42.84
$0.72 Rp 12.9K
84.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 NT$128
$3.29 Rp 58.9K
20.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.74 NT$282
$23.19 Rp 416.1K
-62.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.57 NT$50.7
$2.78 Rp 49.8K
-43.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 NT$91.5
$2.73 Rp 49.0K
3.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.65 NT$21.03
$0.27 Rp 4,778
140.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$39.36 NT$1,272
$8.11 Rp 145.4K
385.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.35 NT$108
$0.48 Rp 8,659
597.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.58 NT$18.90
$0.42 Rp 7,532
38.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.04 NT$324
$6.22 Rp 111.6K
61.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 NT$34.55
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
32.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.9K NT$1.3M
$26.6K Rp 477.4M
53.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K NT$880.5K
$32.2K Rp 577.4M
-15.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.7 NT$2,963
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
17.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.73 NT$1,090
$4.07 Rp 73.0K
728.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.46 NT$790
$24.33 Rp 436.4K
0.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.75 NT$1,091
$98.6 Rp 1.8M
-65.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.19 NT$491
$6.34 Rp 113.7K
139.59%
Cinema Ticket
$11.68 NT$377
$3.99 Rp 71.5K
192.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$703 NT$22.7K
$305 Rp 5.5M
130.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.5K NT$501.2K
$6,642 Rp 119.2M
133.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.4 NT$2,727
$54.1 Rp 971.2K
55.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.17 NT$1,524
$37.81 Rp 678.2K
24.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 NT$3,255
$86.8 Rp 1.6M
15.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 NT$3,670
$76.4 Rp 1.4M
48.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$438 NT$14.1K
$992 Rp 17.8M
-55.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$212 NT$6,842
$673 Rp 12.1M
-68.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,202 NT$38.8K
$3,375 Rp 60.5M
-64.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$857 NT$27.7K
$2,050 Rp 36.8M
-58.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$16.4K NT$528.3K
$2,805 Rp 50.3M
483.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$9,443 NT$305.1K
$2,227 Rp 39.9M
324.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zhubei City
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,391 NT$77.2K
$167 Rp 3.0M
1331.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.4
13.28
-81.93%

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

Last update for Zhubei City: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Zhubei City and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhubei City pays 1332% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Zhubei City vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 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
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 24% 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 1332% 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: $438 in Zhubei City versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Zhubei City and in Ubud, Bali?
Childcare runs $703 in Zhubei City versus $305 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 Zhubei City or in Ubud, Bali?
Shoppers in Ubud, Bali pay roughly 32% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Zhubei City or in Ubud, Bali?
At $1,140 in Zhubei City versus $1,408 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 $1,140 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 24% 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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