Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandar Seri Begawan and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandar Seri Begawan and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,148 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,748 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $2,540 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,347 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $3,660 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Bandar Seri Begawan is about 19% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Bandar Seri Begawan sits 14% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bandar Seri Begawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.79 BND 4.86
$3.56 Rp 63.9K
6.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.46 BND 35.22
$32.73 Rp 586.8K
-16.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.99 BND 7.68
$4.95 Rp 88.7K
21.01%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.91 BND 2.45
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 BND 3.07
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.73 BND 4.79
$2.71 Rp 48.6K
37.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 BND 1.24
$1.34 Rp 24.1K
-27.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 BND 0.72
$0.70 Rp 12.5K
-20.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.92 Rp 52.3K
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.96 Rp 70.9K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bandar Seri Begawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 BND 2.42
$1.81 Rp 32.4K
4.42%
White Bread (500g)
$1.70 BND 2.18
$2.52 Rp 45.1K
-32.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.29 BND 1.66
$1.16 Rp 20.8K
11.21%
Eggs
$2.23 BND 2.86
$2.46 Rp 44.1K
-9.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.18 BND 9.21
$14.71 Rp 263.7K
-51.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.50 BND 5.78
$4.32 Rp 77.4K
4.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.26 BND 14.44
$12.14 Rp 217.5K
-7.25%
Apples (1kg)
$3.18 BND 4.08
$3.84 Rp 68.8K
-17.19%
Banana (1kg)
$2.66 BND 3.41
$1.56 Rp 27.9K
70.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.15 BND 4.04
$2.83 Rp 50.8K
11.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.87 BND 3.69
$2.33 Rp 41.7K
23.18%
Potato (1kg)
$1.64 BND 2.10
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
-14.14%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 BND 2.76
$2.20 Rp 39.5K
-2.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.51 BND 4.50
$1.01 Rp 18.2K
247.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 BND 0.97
$0.78 Rp 13.9K
-3.85%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$13.09 BND 16.79
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.36 BND 4.31
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 BND 1.95
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.59 BND 19.99
$3.32 Rp 59.4K
369.58%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$23.74 Rp 425.5K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.79 Rp 50.0K
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.86 Rp 51.3K
-
🚌 Getting Around
Bandar Seri Begawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.76 BND 0.97
$0.27 Rp 4,819
181.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$8.03 Rp 143.9K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.55 BND 5.84
$0.46 Rp 8,181
889.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.66 BND 3.42
$0.45 Rp 8,068
491.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.82 BND 15.17
$6.10 Rp 109.3K
93.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.41 BND 0.52
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
-48.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.2K BND 50.3K
$26.1K Rp 468.8M
49.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.2K BND 46.5K
$32.1K Rp 575.8M
12.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bandar Seri Begawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.0 BND 78.2
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
-23.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.79 BND 29.23
$4.06 Rp 72.9K
461.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.4 BND 83.9
$23.52 Rp 421.6K
178.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bandar Seri Begawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.66 BND 48.31
$98.7 Rp 1.8M
-61.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$2.85 BND 3.65
$6.63 Rp 118.8K
-57.01%
Cinema Ticket
$5.31 BND 6.81
$4.15 Rp 74.3K
27.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bandar Seri Begawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$157 BND 201
$304 Rp 5.4M
-48.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,544 BND 12.2K
$6,613 Rp 118.5M
44.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bandar Seri Begawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.4 BND 121
$55.5 Rp 995.6K
70.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$69.0 BND 88.5
$38.31 Rp 686.7K
80.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 BND 138
$88.6 Rp 1.6M
21.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$64.7 BND 83.0
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
-16.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bandar Seri Begawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$727 BND 933
$1,006 Rp 18.0M
-27.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$464 BND 595
$675 Rp 12.1M
-31.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,323 BND 1,697
$3,442 Rp 61.7M
-61.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$827 BND 1,061
$2,039 Rp 36.6M
-59.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,105 BND 3,983
$2,841 Rp 50.9M
9.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,340 BND 3,002
$2,264 Rp 40.6M
3.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bandar Seri Begawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,937 BND 2,485
$165 Rp 3.0M
1072.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.06
13.28
-69.43%

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

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $727 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $1,006 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 1072% higher in Bandar Seri Begawan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $302 – making Bandar Seri Begawan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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
Bandar Seri Begawan vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ubud, Bali cheaper than Bandar Seri Begawan?
Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,721 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan and $2,129 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bandar Seri Begawan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Bandar Seri Begawan or Ubud, Bali?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan and $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Bandar Seri Begawan and Ubud, Bali?
Groceries cost about 38% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Bandar Seri Begawan or Ubud, Bali?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bandar Seri Begawan, where all-in costs run around $1,148, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Bandar Seri Begawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Bandar Seri Begawan or Ubud, Bali more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Bandar Seri Begawan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Bandar Seri Begawan or Ubud, Bali?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Bandar Seri Begawan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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