Ubud: Bali's inland town of rice terraces, yoga and slow mornings
What living in Ubud costs, how safe it is, how you get around without a bus, and what retiring in Bali's cultural center looks like for Americans.
- $1,700/mo
- Monthly budget · single
- 82°F / 28°C
- Avg temperature
Plan on roughly $1,700 a month in U.S. dollars for one person in Ubud, and most singles land somewhere between $1,300 and $2,100. A couple needs about $2,600 and a family of four about $3,800. A one-bedroom near the center rents for around $600 a month, closer to $450 farther out. These are 2026 estimates, and our data for Ubud is thinner than for big cities, so treat them as a starting range.
Ubud sits inland in Gianyar Regency, about 690 feet up, among rice terraces and river valleys. Newcomers tend to rent villas in Penestanan and Sayan, a short ride west of the center, rather than in the busy core around the palace and Monkey Forest Road. Days fill up with yoga, art classes, cafes and walks along the paddies.
It suits writers, wellness people, artists and active retirees who want a greener, slower Bali. It's a poor fit if you want the beach, nightlife, or a full hospital nearby. The coast is 45 to 60 minutes away, and the island's big hospitals are down in Denpasar.
Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 · 4 min read
At a glance
$1,700
Monthly budget · single person
$600/mo 1-bed rent, center
68/100
Safety index
$25
Internet / month
82°Fannual average
Aug 80° · Nov 83°
Climate
Expatsi estimates, updated Oct 2026, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting. Coverage here is thin, so treat these as a rough guide.
Cost of living
What it costs to live in Ubud
Single person
$1,300–$2,100/mo
about 45% below Austin, TX
Couple
$2,000–$3,200/mo
about 45% below Austin, TX
Family of four
$2,900–$4,600/mo
about 50% below Austin, TX
Compared with Austin, TX (Expatsi estimate, 2026).
- $4 −80%
- Inexpensive meal
- $450–$750/mo −69%
- 1-bed rent, center
- $350–$550/mo −67%
- 1-bed rent, outside
- $25/mo −62%
- Internet
Expatsi estimates, updated Oct 2026, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting. Coverage here is thin, so treat these as a rough guide.
Daily life
How Ubud lives
- A- grade, 77th percentile among the cities we track
- Dining & cafésstrong
- B grade, 46th percentile among the cities we track
- Arts & culturetypical
- B- grade, 37th percentile among the cities we track
- Parks & outdoorstypical
- C grade, 9th percentile among the cities we track
- Schools & educationmodest
- B- grade, 27th percentile among the cities we track
- Healthcare accesstypical
- C- grade, 0th percentile among the cities we track
- Bike infrastructuremodest
- C+ grade, 22nd percentile among the cities we track
- Public transitmodest
- B+ grade, moderate physical accessibility
- Accessibilitymoderate
Graded on OpenStreetMap amenity density relative to the 298 cities we track. Accessibility is the exception: it's graded against a fixed standard (terrain steepness and sidewalk surfaces), not a curve.
Climate
Weather through the year
Annual average 82°F (28°C) · 68 in of rain a year · Source: Meteostat station normals (97230, 1991-2020)
On the ground
Scenes from Ubud
Getting around
Transport in Ubud
Ubud has no public bus you'd build a routine around. Bali's Trans Metro Dewata network runs out of Denpasar, and reaching Ubud on it usually takes several transfers. So daily life comes down to a scooter, a ride app, or a hired driver.
Most residents ride scooters. You'll need an International Driving Permit (motorbike class) along with your U.S. license, and traffic police regularly check the main roads into Gianyar Regency. Gojek and Grab work well in the villages around town, but pickups in the center are controlled by local transport groups, especially along Jalan Raya Ubud and near Monkey Forest, the palace and the art market. Drivers will often ask you to walk a block or two to meet them.
Here's the catch: central traffic. On September 8, 2026, Gianyar launched the third phase of a new one-way scheme. Jalan Raya Ubud now runs one way east from Monkey Forest to the Arjuna statue intersection, tour buses are banned from the center, and the first days brought heavy jams on Monkey Forest, Hanoman and Raya Ubud. The layout may keep changing for a while.
Walking works inside one neighborhood, but sidewalks are often narrow, broken or missing. Many villas listed as "Ubud" sit 15 to 25 minutes outside the center, so time the commute before you sign a lease. For the airport, book a driver and allow 1.5 to 2.5 hours. Sanur, the nearest beach town, is 45 minutes to an hour.
- 3.8/sq mi
- Transit stops
- 0.0/sq mi
- Bike infrastructure
- 2.8/sq mi
- Wheelchair-accessible places
Mapped features per square mile from OpenStreetMap.
Keep exploring
Places like Ubud
Community
Community & practical notes
Community: Ubud's foreign residents meet in yoga studios, art classes and cafes more than in bars, and showing up to a regular class is the fastest way in. English covers daily errands. Families often come for Green School, on Jalan Raya Sibang Kaja in Abiansemal, which one relocation guide puts 15 to 20 minutes from central Ubud in normal traffic.
Healthcare: BIMC Ubud, on Jalan Raya Sanggingan in Kedewatan, has a 24-hour emergency room, pharmacy and lab, with doctors on site around the clock. It belongs to Siloam Hospitals Group, but it's a clinic with three inpatient rooms, not a full hospital. Surgery and intensive care mean a drive down to Denpasar, so carry international coverage that includes evacuation.
Remote work: Home internet runs about $25 a month. Outpost's Penestanan location mixes coliving and coworking, with rooftop work areas and 50 Mbps Wi-Fi. Lots of people work from cafes. Confirm a space is still open before you pay for a month, since older guides list places that have shut.
LGBTQ expats: The law is the issue here. Indonesia's new criminal code took effect January 2, 2026. Sex outside marriage can bring up to a year in prison, and living together unmarried up to six months. Same-sex couples can't marry in Indonesia, so those rules reach them too, along with unmarried straight couples. Charges need a complaint from a spouse, parent or child, and the code covers foreigners in Bali as well as citizens. Aceh province separately criminalizes same-sex acts.
Black Americans: Published accounts are few and personal. One Black American who moved to Bali in 2017 told Travel Noire he'd never met overt racism from Balinese people and felt safer there than in the U.S., and he found friends through the Black in Bali Community. Talk with people living there now before you commit.
Limited mobility: Hard going. Footpaths are often narrow, broken or missing, the palace entrance has stairs, and temples and villa lanes tend to involve steps, gravel or steep paths. No public transport on Bali takes wheelchairs. Bali Access Travel operates a rear-entry van, and since mobility equipment is hard to rent on the island, bring what you need from home.
Retirement: Ubud fits retirees who want culture, green views and a quiet routine, and are fine being a drive from a full hospital. Indonesia's E33F retirement permit lasts one year and is renewed annually, generally from age 55, and needs health insurance and a one-year lease. The five-year E33E Silver Hair visa is for people 60 and over and needs a $50,000 deposit in a state-owned Indonesian bank. Neither permit allows work. Indonesia doesn't allow adult dual citizenship, so naturalizing would mean giving up your U.S. passport. Compare routes on our retirement visa page and read the full rules in our Indonesia guide.
Housing
Renting and buying
- 1-bed rent (center)
- $450–$750/mo
- 1-bed rent (outside center)
- $350–$550/mo
Expatsi estimates, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting. Coverage here is thin, so treat these as a rough guide.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to live in Ubud per month?
About $1,700 a month in U.S. dollars for one person, based on 2026 estimates, with a typical range of $1,300 to $2,100. A couple spends about $2,600 and a family of four about $3,800. A one-bedroom near the center rents for around $600 a month, or about $450 farther out.
Do you need a car or scooter to live in Ubud?
Not a car, but most residents ride a scooter, which needs an International Driving Permit (motorbike class) plus your U.S. license. There's no practical public bus. Gojek and Grab work around Ubud, though pickups in the center are restricted by local transport groups, and many people hire drivers for longer trips.
Is Ubud safe for Americans?
Ubud scores 68 out of 100 on Expatsi's safety index, with a crime index of 32. Traffic is a bigger daily concern for many residents: narrow lanes, heavy scooter use and broken sidewalks. Indonesia's criminal code, in force since January 2, 2026, applies to foreigners too, including its rules on sex outside marriage and unmarried cohabitation.
Is there a hospital in Ubud?
Not a full one. BIMC Ubud in Kedewatan, part of Siloam Hospitals Group, has a 24-hour emergency room, pharmacy and lab, plus three inpatient rooms. Surgery and intensive care mean a transfer to a hospital in Denpasar, so international coverage with evacuation is worth having.
How far is Ubud from the beach and the airport?
The coast is 45 to 60 minutes from Ubud, and Sanur is 45 minutes to an hour by road. Bali's airport usually takes 1.5 to 2.5 hours by car, depending on traffic, so most people book a driver rather than rely on ride apps for that trip.
Is Ubud LGBTQ-friendly?
Not legally. Indonesia doesn't allow same-sex marriage, and since January 2, 2026 its criminal code punishes sex outside marriage with up to a year in prison and unmarried cohabitation with up to six months. Charges need a complaint from a spouse, parent or child, and the code applies to foreigners in Bali.
Can Americans retire in Ubud?
Yes. Indonesia's E33F retirement permit is a one-year permit renewed annually, generally from age 55, and needs health insurance and a one-year lease. The five-year E33E Silver Hair visa is for people 60 and over and needs a $50,000 deposit in a state-owned Indonesian bank. Neither allows work. Ubud's main clinic handles emergencies, but full hospital care is in Denpasar.
What is the weather like in Ubud?
Warm all year. The nearest long-term weather station, about 18 miles away, averages about 82F, with average monthly highs of 84F to 89F. Rain peaks from December through February, with about 15.6 inches in January, while August averages about half an inch.
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