Tokyo vs Ubud: cost of living for digital nomads

Tokyo, Japan and Ubud, Indonesia, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.

The short version

  • Ubud is about 50% cheaper than Tokyo for a month of nomad living ($1,400 vs $2,800).
  • Rent is the biggest gap: $550 in Ubud against $1,300 in Tokyo.
  • Tokyo scores higher on safety (10/10 vs 8/10).
  • Internet is faster in Tokyo: 230 Mbps typical against 30 Mbps.
  • Tokyo is temperate; Ubud is tropical.

Tokyo wins 2 of the measured lines; Ubud wins 6.

LineTokyoUbud
Monthly total (USD)$2,800$1,400
Rent$1,300$550
Food$650$380
Transport$120$60
Coworking$200$110
Safety (out of 10)10/108/10
Internet (Mbps)23030
Climatetemperatetropical
City sizemetrosmall
Settingcoastinland
Nomad score (out of 10)7/109/10

Ubud

Bali's wellness-and-yoga nomad hub inland from Canggu — jungle, cafes, strong community.

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Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.