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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,264 in Zurich versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,405 in Zurich versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,546 in Zurich versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Zurich is roughly 204% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zurich 217% above, Ubud, Bali 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.59 CHF 24.29

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

756.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 116

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

348.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.52 CHF 16.29

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

322.22%

Cappuccino

$6.99 CHF 5.55

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

154.18%

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

$6.08 CHF 4.82

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

360.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 CHF 4.19

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

654.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.91 CHF 7.87

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

240.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 CHF 7.01

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

132.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

30.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.62

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

33.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 CHF 3.13

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

229.17%

Eggs

$7.39 CHF 5.86

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

202.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.07 CHF 23.87

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

109.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.13 CHF 27.10

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

691.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.9 CHF 40.44

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

317.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 CHF 3.36

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

14.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 CHF 2.25

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

82.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 CHF 2.39

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

7.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 CHF 4.18

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

126.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.24

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

43.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.85

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

1.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

136.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CHF 1.36

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

135.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.87 CHF 8.63

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

231.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.00 CHF 11.90

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-34.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CHF 2.16

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-3.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 CHF 2.57

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

16.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.06 CHF 4.02

$0.29 Rp 5,217

1644.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 86.8

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

1256.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.88 CHF 6.25

$0.45 Rp 8,047

1651.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.30 CHF 3.41

$0.45 Rp 8,094

855.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.5 CHF 70.2

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

1317.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.84

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

172.94%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.7K

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

58.34%

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

$39.1K CHF 31.0K

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

23.45%

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

$257 CHF 204

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

218.85%

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

$35.13 CHF 27.89

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

765.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 CHF 46.94

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

142.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.0 CHF 70.7

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

-8.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.88 CHF 39.60

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

673.33%

Cinema Ticket

$24.22 CHF 19.22

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

499.50%

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

$3,382 CHF 2,685

$304 Rp 5.4M

1012.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.9K CHF 30.9K

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

488.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 110

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

156.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 CHF 49.60

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

61.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 116

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

69.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 157

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

158.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,676 CHF 2,125

$986 Rp 17.7M

171.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,185 CHF 1,735

$658 Rp 11.8M

232.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,057 CHF 4,015

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

50.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,718 CHF 2,951

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

79.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.5K CHF 21.0K

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

866.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.9K CHF 13.4K

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

656.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,547 CHF 6,786

$163 Rp 2.9M

5130.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

13.28

-84.26%

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

Last update for Zurich: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,676 in Zurich and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 5130% 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: $146 in Zurich vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $685 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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 204% lower than in Zurich. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Zurich pays 5130% 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: $2,676 in Zurich versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,382 in Zurich 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 131% higher in Zurich. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,264 in Zurich, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Zurich. 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, Zurich 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 204% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.