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: $955 in Johor Bahru versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,366 in Johor Bahru versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Johor Bahru versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Johor Bahru costs roughly 31% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Johor Bahru is 28% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 MYR 14.32

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

-1.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.98 MYR 77.5

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

-41.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 MYR 19.67

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

-3.79%

Cappuccino

$2.92 MYR 11.93

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

3.55%

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

$0.83 MYR 3.39

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-38.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.98

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

-32.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 MYR 14.37

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

20.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.47 MYR 26.43

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

64.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.45

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

2.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.80

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

-62.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.14

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

9.57%

Eggs

$1.88 MYR 7.67

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

-21.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 MYR 43.94

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

-24.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 MYR 13.89

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

-18.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.14 MYR 33.24

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

-32.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MYR 11.25

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

-24.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.14

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-4.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.51

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-7.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.98

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

-45.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.66

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

-42.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.71

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-38.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

-8.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.31

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-27.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.99

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

30.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 MYR 58.5

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-38.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 MYR 11.42

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MYR 11.77

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

4.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$0.27 Rp 4,813

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 48.66

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

42.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 MYR 4.19

$0.45 Rp 8,167

128.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.17

$0.46 Rp 8,298

121.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.48 MYR 38.71

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

56.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

-41.86%

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

$34.8K MYR 142.0K

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

30.85%

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

$27.4K MYR 111.9K

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

-15.83%

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

$40.42 MYR 165

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-48.85%

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

$8.82 MYR 36.01

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

115.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.58 MYR 125

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

28.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.12 MYR 143

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-64.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 MYR 23.59

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

-8.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.96

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

21.95%

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

$184 MYR 752

$297 Rp 5.4M

-38.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,005 MYR 28.6K

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

6.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.22 MYR 201

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

-7.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.59 MYR 75.9

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

-51.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.9 MYR 224

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-38.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.53 MYR 161

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

-48.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,910

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-54.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 MYR 1,633

$680 Rp 12.3M

-41.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$814 MYR 3,325

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

-76.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$609 MYR 2,488

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

-70.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,036 MYR 8,313

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

-25.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,158 MYR 4,728

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

-49.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,063 MYR 4,342

$164 Rp 3.0M

549.69%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $468 in Johor Bahru and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 550% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $298 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 46% in total monthly costs ($955 vs $1,392 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 550% higher in Johor Bahru, 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: $468 in Johor Bahru versus $1,020 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $955 per month in Johor Bahru versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $955 in Johor Bahru versus $1,392 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 46% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.