Cost of Living Comparison Between Abu Dhabi and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Abu Dhabi and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,149 in Abu Dhabi versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,434 in Abu Dhabi versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,719 in Abu Dhabi versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Abu Dhabi is roughly 53% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Abu Dhabi 61% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.88 AED 39.95

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

215.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 AED 254

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

114.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 AED 35.62

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

100.41%

Cappuccino

$6.00 AED 22.05

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

118.18%

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

$1.26 AED 4.62

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

-8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 AED 1.61

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

-41.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.93 AED 40.15

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

265.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.75 AED 39.48

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

179.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 AED 7.02

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

9.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 AED 5.86

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

-34.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 AED 8.93

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

107.69%

Eggs

$3.68 AED 13.52

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

51.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.59 AED 38.89

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

-26.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 AED 31.17

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

95.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.28 AED 41.44

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

-5.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 AED 8.75

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

-36.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 AED 6.39

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

6.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 AED 6.64

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

-33.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 AED 5.53

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

-32.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 AED 4.28

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

-39.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 AED 5.13

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

-38.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 AED 6.84

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

75.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 AED 2.17

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-18.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 AED 22.90

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

89.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.52 AED 49.64

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

-41.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 AED 8.51

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-16.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 AED 8.29

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

-17.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 AED 2.55

$0.27 Rp 4,786

159.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.96 AED 95.3

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

220.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 AED 11.91

$0.48 Rp 8,675

575.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 AED 2.06

$0.42 Rp 7,545

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 AED 29.22

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

27.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.77

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

-7.41%

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

$45.8K AED 168.2K

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

72.12%

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

$22.6K AED 83.1K

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

-29.74%

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

$143 AED 526

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

82.65%

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

$50.1 AED 184

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

1130.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 376

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

320.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.2 AED 240

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-33.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.30 AED 126

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

441.01%

Cinema Ticket

$13.54 AED 49.73

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

239.35%

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

$621 AED 2,282

$305 Rp 5.5M

103.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K AED 44.3K

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

81.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 AED 216

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

8.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 AED 206

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

48.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 AED 343

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

7.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 AED 326

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

16.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 AED 5,440

$992 Rp 17.8M

49.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 AED 4,021

$673 Rp 12.1M

62.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,073 AED 11.3K

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

-8.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 AED 8,485

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

12.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,810 AED 17.7K

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

71.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,843 AED 10.4K

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

27.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,887 AED 10.6K

$167 Rp 3.0M

1629.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.19

13.28

-60.92%

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

Last update for Abu Dhabi: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,481 in Abu Dhabi and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abu Dhabi pays 1629% 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: $69.0 in Abu Dhabi vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $297, with Abu Dhabi cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 53% lower than in Abu Dhabi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1629% higher in Abu Dhabi, 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: $1,481 in Abu Dhabi versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 220% less than in Abu Dhabi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $621 in Abu Dhabi versus $305 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,149 in Abu Dhabi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Abu Dhabi. 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 $1,408 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Abu Dhabi 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 53% less than in Abu Dhabi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.