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: $796 in Bintulu versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,228 in Bintulu versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,661 in Bintulu versus $3,723 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 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 MYR 15.63

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

7.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.41 MYR 71.1

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

-46.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 MYR 22.53

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

10.18%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.38

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

-1.06%

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

$0.66 MYR 2.71

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-51.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

-46.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 MYR 11.61

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

-3.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 MYR 20.53

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

27.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MYR 7.03

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-3.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.58

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

-44.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.18

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

10.43%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.58

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

-12.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.76 MYR 68.4

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

16.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 MYR 14.18

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

-17.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.63 MYR 22.97

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

-53.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.62

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

-55.49%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 MYR 3.74

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-41.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 MYR 6.54

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-42.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.35

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

-52.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

-73.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.87

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-47.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 MYR 2.79

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

-35.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.76

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-45.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 MYR 16.46

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

26.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 MYR 80.6

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-16.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 MYR 11.72

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-1.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MYR 7.87

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

-30.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$0.27 Rp 4,813

344.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.40 MYR 62.9

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

83.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 4.00

$0.45 Rp 8,167

117.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 MYR 3.80

$0.46 Rp 8,298

102.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 MYR 9.46

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

-61.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

-36.05%

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

$42.9K MYR 175.0K

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

61.19%

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

$37.0K MYR 151.2K

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

13.75%

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

$57.3 MYR 234

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-27.47%

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

$9.36 MYR 38.21

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

128.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.91 MYR 122

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

25.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.2 MYR 266

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-34.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 MYR 24.33

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

-6.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.19 MYR 17.10

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

4.49%

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

$121 MYR 493

$297 Rp 5.4M

-59.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,017 MYR 28.7K

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

6.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 MYR 251

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

15.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.91 MYR 138

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

-11.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 MYR 312

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-13.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 MYR 362

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

15.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 MYR 875

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-78.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 MYR 622

$680 Rp 12.3M

-77.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 MYR 1,881

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

-86.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MYR 1,287

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

-84.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,704 MYR 6,956

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

-37.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,154 MYR 4,711

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

-49.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 MYR 2,455

$164 Rp 3.0M

267.35%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Bintulu and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bintulu pays 267% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $298 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.

Average pay runs 267% higher in Bintulu, 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: $214 in Bintulu versus $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $796 per month in Bintulu versus $1,392 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 84% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $796 in Bintulu versus $1,392 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 $796 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.