Canggu vs Ubud: Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?
The two cities are closely matched — lifestyle preference and visa options are likely the deciding factors. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Ubud is approximately 177% less expensive than Canggu based on cost of living including rent. This makes Ubud a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Ubud has a FIRE Score of N/A/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 70, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Ubud is well-suited for retirees seeking a balanced lifestyle.
About Canggu
Canggu is a five-thousand-person surf town that has priced itself like a lifestyle brand, and the numbers back it up: $1,957/mo for a bare-bones single adult and $5,355/mo for anything you would call comfortable. The 25 Mbps average internet is the real problem, since both the Indonesia Remote Worker Visa (E33G) and the Indonesia Retirement Visa (KITAS) demand $2,000/mo in income, meaning the budget tier barely clears the bar while the connection struggles to hold a video call. DPS sits 16 km away, which is genuinely convenient, but convenience is not the same as value. Come for the tropical climate and the 17 m of elevation, stay only if you can stomach paying comfortable-tier money for budget-tier infrastructure.
About Indonesia
Skip this if you need English-speaking doctors or a fast path to citizenship, both weak here. But budget retirees can live well on $429.70/mo excl. rent plus sub-$320 rent, and the $2,000/mo Retirement KITAS is achievable. Best suited for low-cost-focused retirees, not remote workers facing the $387/mo nomad visa threshold.
$914/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
About Ubud
Ubud is a bargain for renters who can live on local wages, but the numbers expose the catch: a $168/mo average net salary cannot touch $544/mo city-center rent, so this town runs on foreign income, not local opportunity. The $2,000/mo income floor on both the Indonesia Retirement Visa (KITAS) and the Indonesia Remote Worker Visa (E33G) tells you exactly who Ubud is built for. Internet at 20 Mbps and a 57/100 digital nomad score make remote work possible but not painless, and healthcare rated only Fair is the real long-term risk. Come for the $3 meals and $2 cappuccinos, stay only if you have a first-world paycheck and a high tolerance for humid, monsoon-soaked air.
About Indonesia
Skip this if you need English-speaking doctors or a fast path to citizenship, both weak here. But budget retirees can live well on $429.70/mo excl. rent plus sub-$320 rent, and the $2,000/mo Retirement KITAS is achievable. Best suited for low-cost-focused retirees, not remote workers facing the $387/mo nomad visa threshold.
$2,280/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
Which visa fits your move?
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| Metric | Canggu | Ubud |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $1507 | $544.43 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | N/A | $406.81 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | N/A | $1935.77 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | N/A | $1395.99 |
| Safety Index | N/A | 70 |
| Internet Speed | 25Mbps | 20Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | Canggu | Ubud |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | N/A | $736/mo |
| Excluding rent | N/A | $329/mo |
| Rent | N/A | $407/mo |
| Groceries | N/A | $113/mo |
| Dining out | N/A | $28.00/mo |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | N/A | $83.00/mo |
| Utilities & connectivity | N/A | $105/mo |
| Transport | N/A | N/A |
Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.
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Canggu vs Ubud -- Frequently Asked Questions
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