Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Ain and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Ain and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,787 per month in Al Ain vs $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,530 per month in Al Ain vs $2,327 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Al Ain vs $3,275 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Al Ain costs about 30% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Al Ain and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Al Ain by 30%, Ubud, Bali by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.08 AED 29.68

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

142.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 AED 197

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

50.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.36 AED 30.69

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

48.49%

Cappuccino

$4.77 AED 17.54

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

69.15%

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

$0.69 AED 2.54

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-60.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 AED 1.21

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

-58.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 AED 29.41

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

163.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 AED 25.76

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

63.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 AED 6.75

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 AED 5.95

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-28.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 AED 7.77

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

81.20%

Eggs

$2.78 AED 10.21

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

28.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 AED 34.49

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-46.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 AED 37.63

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

153.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.22 AED 33.86

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

-24.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 AED 9.02

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-32.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 AED 7.19

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

19.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 AED 7.13

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

-16.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 AED 5.55

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

-22.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 AED 4.34

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

-35.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 AED 4.18

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-51.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 AED 2.95

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

-23.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 AED 1.93

$0.54 Rp 9,560

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 AED 22.56

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

166.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.18 AED 44.73

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-47.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 AED 9.31

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

8.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 AED 9.42

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

-16.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 AED 2.57

$0.25 Rp 4,365

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.53 AED 90.1

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

160.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 AED 8.63

$0.49 Rp 8,631

379.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 AED 2.06

$0.47 Rp 8,349

19.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 AED 30.39

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

47.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 AED 2.90

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

-2.47%

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

$30.3K AED 111.2K

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

21.08%

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

$21.8K AED 80.1K

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

-29.82%

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

$112 AED 411

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

35.22%

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

$47.07 AED 173

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

625.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.3 AED 317

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

359.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 AED 208

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

2.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.18 AED 99.8

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

49.26%

Cinema Ticket

$13.69 AED 50.3

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

218.37%

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

$580 AED 2,131

$494 Rp 8.7M

17.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,625 AED 28.0K

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

28.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.12 AED 162

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

-4.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.53 AED 175

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

30.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 AED 261

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

-11.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 AED 382

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

31.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 AED 2,558

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-37.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$833 AED 3,057

$693 Rp 12.2M

20.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 AED 5,807

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-56.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 AED 4,451

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-29.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,425 AED 8,904

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

-12.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,174 AED 4,310

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

-48.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,669 AED 9,802

$167 Rp 2.9M

1497.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

13.78

-66.76%

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

Last update for Al Ain: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $697 in Al Ain versus $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1497% higher in Al Ain, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Al Ain versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Al Ain vs $294 in Ubud, Bali – so Al Ain wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Al Ain vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Ain costs about 30% more than Ubud, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,680 per month in Al Ain and $2,067 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $580 per month in Al Ain and $494 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Al Ain – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,378, than in Al Ain at $1,787. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Ain it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,378 versus $1,787 in Al Ain. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al Ain makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.