Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,618 in George Town versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,071 in George Town versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,524 in George Town versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in George Town is roughly 228% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: George Town 246% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.65 KYD 25.13

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

788.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 KYD 118

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

344.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.94 KYD 13.07

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

229.34%

Cappuccino

$6.90 KYD 5.65

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

150.91%

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

$3.36 KYD 2.76

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

143.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KYD 2.23

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

262.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.27 KYD 7.60

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

210.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 KYD 6.71

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

112.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 KYD 2.48

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

73.56%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 KYD 4.35

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

115.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.75 KYD 4.72

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

391.45%

Eggs

$9.84 KYD 8.07

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

304.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 KYD 9.60

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

-19.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.01 KYD 13.13

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

268.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.24 KYD 13.32

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

35.56%

Apples (1kg)

$10.67 KYD 8.75

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

186.83%

Banana (1kg)

$4.66 KYD 3.82

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

185.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.91 KYD 6.49

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

188.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.64 KYD 6.27

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

241.07%

Potato (1kg)

$5.34 KYD 4.38

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

178.13%

Onion (1kg)

$5.50 KYD 4.51

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

141.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.09 KYD 5.00

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

474.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 KYD 2.46

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

316.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.61 KYD 11.98

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

344.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.67 KYD 21.05

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

10.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 KYD 3.21

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

41.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 KYD 4.23

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

89.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 KYD 2.01

$0.27 Rp 4,765

807.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.28 KYD 24.83

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

273.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 KYD 14.99

$0.48 Rp 8,636

3708.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.82 KYD 3.95

$0.42 Rp 7,511

1047.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.4 KYD 48.69

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

854.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 KYD 1.40

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

111.11%

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

$39.2K KYD 32.1K

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

47.27%

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

$34.0K KYD 27.9K

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

5.68%

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

$385 KYD 316

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

391.84%

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

$97.8 KYD 80.2

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

2301.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 KYD 90.4

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

352.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 KYD 86.9

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

7.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.38 KYD 33.11

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

536.91%

Cinema Ticket

$18.17 KYD 14.90

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

355.39%

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

$1,744 KYD 1,430

$305 Rp 5.5M

471.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K KYD 19.9K

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

266.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 KYD 75.2

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

69.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.8 KYD 58.1

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

87.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 KYD 121

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

69.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 KYD 122

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

95.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 KYD 2,301

$992 Rp 17.7M

182.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 KYD 2,038

$673 Rp 12.0M

269.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,558 KYD 4,557

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

64.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,697 KYD 3,851

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

129.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,809 KYD 7,223

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

214.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,303 KYD 1,889

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

3.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,125 KYD 5,842

$167 Rp 3.0M

4167.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

13.28

-37.88%

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

Last update for George Town: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,806 in George Town and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 4167% 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: $144 in George Town vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $629 vs $297 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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

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

George Town and Ubud, Bali differ by about 228% in total monthly costs ($4,618 vs $1,408 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 4167% higher in George Town, 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: $2,806 in George Town versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,618 per month in George Town versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 228% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 273% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,618 in George Town, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in George Town. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, George Town 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 228% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.