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: $4,824 in George Town versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,348 in George Town versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,872 in George Town versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in George Town is roughly 245% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: George Town 251% above, Ubud, Bali 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.84 KYD 24.47

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

785.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 KYD 94.6

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

198.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.54 KYD 13.57

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

199.64%

Cappuccino

$7.07 KYD 5.80

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

167.80%

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

$3.05 KYD 2.50

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

82.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KYD 2.28

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

262.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.27 KYD 5.96

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

176.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.69 KYD 7.94

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

126.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.64 KYD 3.80

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

199.35%

White Bread (500g)

$4.33 KYD 3.55

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

95.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 KYD 3.60

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

288.50%

Eggs

$7.46 KYD 6.12

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

256.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$55.0 KYD 45.06

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

215.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.25 KYD 15.79

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

397.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.72 KYD 16.17

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

57.13%

Apples (1kg)

$7.41 KYD 6.08

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

104.70%

Banana (1kg)

$3.68 KYD 3.02

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

135.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.09 KYD 4.99

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

159.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.88 KYD 6.46

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

282.52%

Potato (1kg)

$4.14 KYD 3.39

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

117.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.98 KYD 3.26

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

70.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 KYD 2.62

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

209.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 KYD 1.78

$0.55 Rp 9,854

294.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.43 KYD 11.83

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

541.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.24 KYD 20.69

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

6.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.14 KYD 3.40

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

79.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 KYD 4.66

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

102.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 KYD 1.91

$0.27 Rp 4,839

762.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.6 KYD 66.9

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

841.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$18.57 KYD 15.23

$0.48 Rp 8,554

3768.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.89 KYD 3.19

$0.45 Rp 7,924

764.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.79 KYD 36.73

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

683.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 KYD 1.35

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

115.79%

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

$42.5K KYD 34.8K

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

73.41%

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

$42.3K KYD 34.7K

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

31.67%

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

$458 KYD 376

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

448.31%

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

$120 KYD 98.5

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

1760.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$115 KYD 94.1

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

504.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$219 KYD 179

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

291.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.38 KYD 29.01

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

90.01%

Cinema Ticket

$18.45 KYD 15.13

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

331.07%

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

$1,832 KYD 1,502

$487 Rp 8.6M

276.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.5K KYD 21.7K

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

352.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 KYD 69.6

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

86.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.9 KYD 60.6

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

103.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 KYD 112

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

66.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 KYD 117

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

77.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,909 KYD 2,385

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

160.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,443 KYD 2,003

$701 Rp 12.5M

248.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,779 KYD 4,739

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

63.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,770 KYD 3,911

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

170.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,648 KYD 7,092

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

206.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,307 KYD 1,892

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

0.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,390 KYD 6,060

$170 Rp 3.0M

4252.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-41.94%

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

Last update for George Town: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,909 in George Town and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 4253% 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: $115 in George Town vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $722 vs $293 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 245% in total monthly costs ($4,824 vs $1,396 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 4253% 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: $2,909 in George Town versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,824 per month in George Town versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali – a 245% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 842% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,824 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 245% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.