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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,832 in Dubai versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,340 in Dubai versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,848 in Dubai versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Dubai is roughly 101% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubai 112% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 AED 39.53

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

211.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 AED 295

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

148.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 AED 35.87

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

101.86%

Cappuccino

$5.76 AED 21.15

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

109.45%

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

$1.19 AED 4.37

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

-13.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 AED 3.31

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.10 AED 44.45

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

304.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.64 AED 50.1

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

254.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 AED 7.20

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

12.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 AED 5.25

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

-41.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 AED 8.00

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

86.32%

Eggs

$3.41 AED 12.54

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

40.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 AED 37.01

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

-30.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 AED 33.82

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

111.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.68 AED 46.59

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

5.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 AED 8.66

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

-36.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 AED 7.15

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

19.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 AED 6.86

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

-31.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 AED 5.67

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

-31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 AED 4.35

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

-38.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.62

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

-44.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 AED 5.14

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

32.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 AED 2.41

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.71 AED 24.64

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

103.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 AED 61.1

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

-28.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.65

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-5.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 AED 13.06

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

30.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 AED 6.06

$0.27 Rp 4,786

511.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 AED 306

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

926.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 AED 11.76

$0.48 Rp 8,675

566.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 AED 2.97

$0.42 Rp 7,545

92.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 AED 29.62

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

29.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.75

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

-7.41%

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

$32.6K AED 119.9K

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

22.65%

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

$22.9K AED 84.0K

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

-28.97%

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

$215 AED 789

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

174.09%

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

$61.8 AED 227

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

1417.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 AED 375

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

320.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 AED 319

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-11.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.46 AED 171

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

632.81%

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 AED 55.9

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

281.70%

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

$851 AED 3,126

$305 Rp 5.5M

179.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K AED 51.5K

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

110.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.4 AED 302

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

52.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 AED 228

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

64.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 AED 418

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

31.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 AED 439

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

56.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 AED 9,051

$992 Rp 17.8M

148.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 AED 5,751

$673 Rp 12.1M

132.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,655 AED 17.1K

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

37.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,950 AED 10.8K

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

43.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,113 AED 26.1K

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

153.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,104 AED 15.1K

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

84.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,390 AED 12.5K

$167 Rp 3.0M

1930.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

13.28

-66.19%

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

Last update for Dubai: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,465 in Dubai and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 1930% 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: $80.0 in Dubai vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $282 vs $297, with Dubai 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

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

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1930% higher in Dubai, 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: $2,465 in Dubai 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 926% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $851 in Dubai 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 $2,832 in Dubai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dubai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dubai 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 101% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.