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: $4,602 in George Town versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,054 in George Town versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,505 in George Town versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in George Town is roughly 224% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: George Town 243% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.62 KYD 25.11

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

760.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 KYD 118

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

340.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.85 KYD 13.00

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

220.20%

Cappuccino

$6.91 KYD 5.66

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

154.98%

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

$3.52 KYD 2.88

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

162.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KYD 2.23

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

288.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.05 KYD 7.42

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

209.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.60 KYD 7.05

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

117.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 KYD 2.50

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

68.51%

White Bread (500g)

$5.26 KYD 4.32

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

108.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.83 KYD 4.78

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

402.59%

Eggs

$9.98 KYD 8.19

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

305.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.82 KYD 9.70

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-19.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.84 KYD 12.99

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

266.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.30 KYD 13.37

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

34.27%

Apples (1kg)

$10.46 KYD 8.58

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

172.40%

Banana (1kg)

$4.55 KYD 3.73

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

191.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.82 KYD 6.41

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

176.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.78 KYD 6.38

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

233.91%

Potato (1kg)

$5.30 KYD 4.35

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

177.49%

Onion (1kg)

$5.41 KYD 4.44

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

145.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.37 KYD 5.22

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

530.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 KYD 2.39

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

274.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.42 KYD 11.82

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

334.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.05 KYD 20.54

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

5.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.03 KYD 3.30

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 KYD 4.25

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

81.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 KYD 1.96

$0.27 Rp 4,800

785.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.50 KYD 25.01

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

279.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$18.37 KYD 15.06

$0.46 Rp 8,150

3893.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.89 KYD 4.01

$0.45 Rp 8,037

986.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.6 KYD 49.65

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

892.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 KYD 1.44

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

122.78%

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

$39.3K KYD 32.2K

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

50.32%

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

$33.7K KYD 27.6K

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

4.95%

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

$398 KYD 326

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

397.52%

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

$97.7 KYD 80.1

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

2305.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$109 KYD 89.0

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

361.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 KYD 86.0

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

6.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.53 KYD 33.24

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

511.31%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 KYD 14.55

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

327.47%

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

$1,747 KYD 1,433

$304 Rp 5.4M

474.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K KYD 20.5K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

278.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 KYD 75.2

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

65.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.9 KYD 59.0

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

87.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 KYD 123

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

69.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 KYD 122

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

91.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,839 KYD 2,328

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

182.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,527 KYD 2,072

$675 Rp 12.1M

274.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,662 KYD 4,643

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

64.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,683 KYD 3,840

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

129.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,623 KYD 7,071

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

203.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,256 KYD 1,850

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

-0.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,737 KYD 6,344

$165 Rp 3.0M

4581.98%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,839 in George Town and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 4582% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $628 vs $302 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 224% in total monthly costs ($4,602 vs $1,419 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

George Town pays 4582% 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: $2,839 in George Town versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,602 per month in George Town versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 224% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 280% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,602 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 224% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.