Short answer
Ubud suits wellness-focused, creative and alternative-schooling households who don't need the beach, but the humidity, central traffic and hour-plus drive to the airport rule it out for many.
Suits
- Families drawn to Montessori, Waldorf or other alternative education models
- Wellness-focused households wanting yoga, healthy food and a slower pace
- Creatives and remote workers wanting a strong community and good coworking
- Nature lovers who prioritise rice-field views and green surroundings over beach access
Doesn't suit
- Surfers and beach-first households
- Anyone needing frequent, quick airport access
- People sensitive to humidity, mould or insects
- Households wanting to avoid daily central-town traffic
The area
Ubud is Bali's cultural and wellness centre: rice fields, art, yoga, alternative education and a walkable central core. Cooler, greener and an hour from the sea.
Days often revolve around yoga, healthy food, the school run and a genuinely walkable central core, with a strong sense of long-term community among expats and locals alike. Ceremonies and cultural events are frequent and can affect traffic and noise with little notice.
Cost of living in Ubud
| Rent, long-term lease | |
|---|---|
| One-bedroom villa | $769 – $1,442 |
| Two-bedroom villa | $1,346 – $2,500 |
| Three-bedroom family villarice-field or river-valley outlooks command a premium | $2,115 – $3,846 |
| Day to day | |
| Coworking (monthly) | $14 – $24 |
| Eating out (monthly) | $5 – $17 |
| Scooter hire | $63 – $91 |
| Total monthly budget | |
| Single person, all in | $1,250 – $2,019 |
| Couple, all in | $2,019 – $3,173 |
| Family of four, all in | $3,269 – $5,288 |
Indicative, mid-2026 — verify before relying on it. AUD converted at Rp 10,400 to the dollar.
Housing
Good value with gardens and views; humidity and insects are real considerations.
Villas here offer strong value for garden space, rice-field or jungle views and traditional architectural touches, often at lower per-square-metre cost than the coast. The trade-off is humidity, more insects, and a higher likelihood of mould or damp issues during wet season.
Twelve-month leases paid upfront are standard, and longer two- to three-year leases are common given Ubud's high proportion of long-stay residents. Check drainage and flood history carefully for river-valley or rice-field-adjacent properties before signing.
Schools and families
Strong Montessori, Waldorf and alternative-education options.
| School | Curriculum | Fees / year | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green School Bali | IB/alternative | AUD 12k–22k | 30 min |
| Sekolah Sunny Ubud | Montessori-influenced | AUD 6k–14k | 10 min |
| Wisdom Tree School | Waldorf-influenced | AUD 5k–12k | 15 min |
Healthcare
Good clinics; major hospitals in Denpasar.
Ubud has good local clinics for everyday needs and minor treatment, but major hospitals are an hour away in Denpasar or Sanggulan, which matters for anything urgent or requiring specialist care.
Nearest hospital: Siloam Hospitals Denpasar (about 60 minutes). Clinics nearby: Ubud Clinic, Nur Floating Clinic, Kimia Farma pharmacies.
Traffic and getting around
The central Monkey Forest Road and Jalan Raya Ubud corridor jam badly at peak times and during ceremonies, often turning a five-minute trip into thirty. Outlying neighbourhoods are calmer, but that trades off against being further from the town centre's cafes and services.
Central Ubud is walkable; elsewhere you'll need a scooter.
Beach and surf
There is no beach in Ubud — the nearest coast is 60 to 90 minutes away depending on traffic, so this is not an option for households wanting regular beach time. Rivers, waterfalls and rice-field walks are the local alternative to the coast.
Internet and working
Central Ubud and Penestanan have solid fibre and a mature coworking scene, making remote work genuinely comfortable. More rural pockets like Nyuh Kuning or further into the rice fields can have weaker or less reliable connections, worth testing before committing to a lease.
Community
Wellness, creative and long-stay international.
60–90 minutes to the airport.
What to watch out for
- Humidity and damp are constant, affecting clothes, electronics and books if not managed
- Central traffic congestion is a daily reality, worse during ceremonies and festivals
- No beach access without a genuine 60–90 minute drive
- Insects, including mosquitoes, are more prevalent than on the coast, so screening and repellent matter
- Mould and water damage are common maintenance issues in older villas
Common local traps
- Yoga or wellness retreat centres offering informal 'residency' packages that have no real visa standing
- Land or villa deals pitched around spiritual or community framing that skip normal legal due diligence
- Taxi and driver overcharging tourists and new arrivals around the main Ubud market and palace area
Ideal for
- Wellness-focused households
- Alternative schooling families
- Creatives
- Nature lovers
Less ideal for
- Beach people
- Surfers
- Anyone needing the airport regularly
Common questions
- Can you live in Ubud with kids?
- Yes — it has some of Bali's best alternative schools and a strong, established family community.
- Is Ubud far from the beach?
- Yes, the coast is 60 to 90 minutes away, so it doesn't suit households wanting regular beach access.
- How bad is Ubud traffic?
- The central core can be very congested at peak times and during ceremonies; outlying areas are calmer.
- Is Ubud humid?
- Yes, noticeably more than the coast — expect damp issues and higher insect activity, especially in wet season.
- What's rent like in Ubud?
- A two-bedroom villa typically runs IDR 14–26 million a month on a 12-month lease, depending on view and finish.
- Is Ubud good for remote work?
- Yes — central Ubud has strong coworking spaces and reliable fibre, though rural pockets can be patchier.
- How far is Ubud from the airport?
- Around 60 to 90 minutes depending on traffic, one of the longer commutes on the island.
Last reviewed . Figures are indicative — we check them periodically and correct them when readers tell us they have moved.