Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $802 in Bintulu versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,238 in Bintulu versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,674 in Bintulu versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 43% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bintulu is 40% below, Ubud, Bali is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 MYR 15.52

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

7.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.48 MYR 70.9

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

-46.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.73 MYR 23.24

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

17.90%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.27

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

1.09%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.71

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-49.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-47.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 MYR 11.33

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

-4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 MYR 19.65

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

27.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MYR 6.97

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 MYR 5.35

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

-46.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.30

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

9.17%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.84

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

-10.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.62 MYR 67.4

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

15.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 MYR 14.26

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

-18.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.80 MYR 23.52

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

-52.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.60

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

-55.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 MYR 3.74

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

-40.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.60

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

-41.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.32

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

-54.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 MYR 2.13

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

-73.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-50.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 MYR 2.73

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-36.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.73

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

-41.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 MYR 15.83

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

18.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.51 MYR 79.1

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-14.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MYR 11.40

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 MYR 7.53

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-33.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.86

$0.29 Rp 5,217

313.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.64 MYR 63.4

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

94.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MYR 3.69

$0.45 Rp 8,047

102.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 MYR 3.55

$0.45 Rp 8,094

95.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 MYR 9.43

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

-62.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.05

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

-40.00%

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

$42.4K MYR 171.9K

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

63.17%

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

$38.0K MYR 154.1K

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

20.05%

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

$59.1 MYR 240

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

-26.80%

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

$8.97 MYR 36.37

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

120.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.31 MYR 119

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

20.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.4 MYR 269

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

-31.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.88 MYR 23.83

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

-8.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 MYR 16.79

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

2.48%

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

$121 MYR 491

$304 Rp 5.4M

-60.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,172 MYR 29.1K

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

8.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 MYR 253

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

14.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.27 MYR 139

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

-11.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MYR 306

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

-12.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 MYR 356

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

14.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$212 MYR 859

$986 Rp 17.7M

-78.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 MYR 611

$658 Rp 11.8M

-77.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 MYR 1,870

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

-86.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 MYR 1,291

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

-84.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,756 MYR 7,122

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

-35.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,159 MYR 4,701

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

-47.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$611 MYR 2,478

$163 Rp 2.9M

273.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

13.28

-66.11%

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

Last update for Bintulu: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $212 in Bintulu and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bintulu pays 274% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $17.00 in Bintulu vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $297 per month, with Bintulu cheaper across the board.

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

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

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 75% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bintulu pays 274% more on average, 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: $212 in Bintulu versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $802 per month in Bintulu versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 94% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $802 in Bintulu versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bintulu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Bintulu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $802 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bintulu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bintulu 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 Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.