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: $865 in George Town versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,328 in George Town versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,791 in George Town versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in George Town costs roughly 38% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: George Town is 35% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.99 MYR 12.22

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

-16.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.46 MYR 87.6

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

-33.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.91

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

-17.37%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MYR 10.52

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

-8.51%

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

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-42.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

-53.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 MYR 17.22

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

44.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MYR 18.88

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

17.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.41

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

1.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 MYR 4.37

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

-56.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.65

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

41.74%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.41

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

-14.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 70.9

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

21.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 MYR 20.86

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

21.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 44.15

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

-10.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.92

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

-19.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.71

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-10.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MYR 8.76

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-22.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.00

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

-45.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.45

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

-57.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.78

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-48.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MYR 3.00

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

-29.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.23

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-30.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 17.07

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

31.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.20 MYR 78.4

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-18.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MYR 11.11

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-6.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 14.44

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

28.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.27 Rp 4,813

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.63 MYR 47.49

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

38.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$0.45 Rp 8,167

166.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.46 Rp 8,298

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 MYR 26.96

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

8.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.86

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

-46.51%

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

$34.0K MYR 138.7K

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

27.74%

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

$24.9K MYR 101.6K

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

-23.52%

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

$38.72 MYR 158

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-51.00%

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

$9.78 MYR 39.94

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

139.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.08 MYR 119

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

21.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.41 MYR 157

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-61.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.81 MYR 15.55

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

-40.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 MYR 15.99

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

-2.24%

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

$148 MYR 606

$297 Rp 5.4M

-50.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,522 MYR 18.5K

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

-31.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 MYR 215

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

-1.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.34 MYR 116

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

-25.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 MYR 255

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-29.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 MYR 214

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

-31.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 MYR 1,488

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-64.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 MYR 1,049

$680 Rp 12.3M

-62.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 MYR 2,901

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

-79.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 MYR 2,019

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

-76.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MYR 4,378

$164 Rp 3.0M

555.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

13.28

-68.67%

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

Last update for George Town: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $364 in George Town and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 555% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in George Town vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 vs $298 per month, with George Town 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 is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 555% 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: $364 in George Town versus $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 39% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $148 in George Town versus $297 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $865 in George Town versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George Town but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes George Town the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.