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: $966 in Johor Bahru versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,378 in Johor Bahru versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,791 in Johor Bahru versus $3,732 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 28% below, Ubud, Bali is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 13.93

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

-1.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.69 MYR 73.8

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

-42.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 MYR 18.82

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

-6.11%

Cappuccino

$3.01 MYR 11.90

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

6.36%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.35

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

-36.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

-28.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 13.85

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 MYR 26.71

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

75.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.11

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MYR 3.89

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

-61.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.89

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

4.20%

Eggs

$1.84 MYR 7.26

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

-24.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 MYR 42.16

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

-27.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 MYR 14.01

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

-15.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 MYR 32.60

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

-30.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.51

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

-27.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.76

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

-9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.16

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

-4.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.93

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

-46.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.51

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

-40.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.30

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

-38.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.71

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

-11.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.04

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.47

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

33.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 MYR 57.3

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

-38.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MYR 10.59

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

-2.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.53

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

1.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.29 Rp 5,029

148.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.81 MYR 46.65

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

44.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MYR 3.84

$0.45 Rp 7,863

115.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.04

$0.42 Rp 7,305

142.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.09 MYR 35.92

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

47.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

-44.05%

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

$34.8K MYR 137.4K

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

32.58%

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

$28.1K MYR 111.0K

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

-13.44%

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

$40.87 MYR 161

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-47.88%

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

$9.23 MYR 36.44

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

133.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.64 MYR 121

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

25.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.09 MYR 139

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-63.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 22.99

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

-8.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 MYR 19.35

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

21.29%

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

$191 MYR 755

$303 Rp 5.2M

-36.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,900 MYR 27.3K

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

5.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.07 MYR 194

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

-8.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.14 MYR 75.6

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

-49.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.2 MYR 214

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

-37.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.65 MYR 157

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-49.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,848

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

-53.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 MYR 1,565

$674 Rp 11.7M

-41.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 MYR 3,331

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

-75.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 MYR 2,366

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

-71.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 MYR 8,254

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

-29.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,190 MYR 4,700

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

-49.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,155 MYR 4,562

$173 Rp 3.0M

567.07%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $468 in Johor Bahru and $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 567% 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 $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 49% in total monthly costs ($966 vs $1,438 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Johor Bahru pays 567% 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: $468 in Johor Bahru versus $1,012 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 $966 per month in Johor Bahru versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $966 in Johor Bahru versus $1,438 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.