Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $943 in Johor Bahru versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Johor Bahru versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,826 in Johor Bahru versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Johor Bahru costs roughly 33% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Johor Bahru is 30% below, Ubud, Bali is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.56

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

0.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 MYR 76.1

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

-42.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.02

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

-3.50%

Cappuccino

$3.02 MYR 12.23

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

9.82%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.22

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-40.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 MYR 14.78

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

25.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.63 MYR 26.90

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

74.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.37

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

6.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.76

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

-62.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.25

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

7.50%

Eggs

$1.87 MYR 7.59

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

-23.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.72 MYR 43.49

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

-25.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 MYR 14.17

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

-19.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.21 MYR 33.29

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

-32.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.21

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

-24.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.00

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

-4.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.04

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

-45.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.61

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

-42.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.38

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-42.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.82

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-11.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.30

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

-21.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 16.98

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

27.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.08 MYR 57.1

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-38.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.72

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-6.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 MYR 11.90

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

5.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.29 Rp 5,217

155.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.67 MYR 47.34

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

44.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.13

$0.45 Rp 8,047

126.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.03

$0.45 Rp 8,094

120.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 MYR 38.15

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

50.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.85

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

-45.88%

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

$35.8K MYR 145.2K

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

37.85%

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

$27.4K MYR 111.1K

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

-13.47%

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

$41.08 MYR 167

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

-49.13%

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

$9.14 MYR 37.06

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

125.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.22 MYR 123

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

23.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.97 MYR 142

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

-64.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.01 MYR 24.37

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

-6.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.42

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

24.75%

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

$184 MYR 746

$304 Rp 5.4M

-39.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,934 MYR 28.1K

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

4.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.20 MYR 200

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

-9.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.06 MYR 77.3

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

-50.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.1 MYR 219

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

-37.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.69 MYR 165

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

-46.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,901

$986 Rp 17.7M

-52.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MYR 1,611

$658 Rp 11.8M

-39.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 MYR 3,311

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

-75.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 MYR 2,478

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

-70.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,079 MYR 8,432

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

-24.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,163 MYR 4,714

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

-47.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,108 MYR 4,492

$163 Rp 2.9M

577.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

13.28

-69.35%

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

Last update for Johor Bahru: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $469 in Johor Bahru and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 578% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Johor Bahru vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $297 per month, with Johor Bahru 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

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

Johor Bahru and Ubud, Bali differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($943 vs $1,404 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Johor Bahru pays 578% 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: $469 in Johor Bahru versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Johor Bahru – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $943 per month in Johor Bahru versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $943 in Johor Bahru versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Johor Bahru but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Johor Bahru 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, Johor Bahru 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 Johor Bahru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.