Cost of Living Comparison Between Kedah and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Kedah and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $944 in Kedah versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Kedah versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,853 in Kedah versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Kedah is 31% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 MYR 14.38

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

2.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.36 MYR 50.6

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

-65.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 MYR 20.58

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

-11.91%

Cappuccino

$2.66 MYR 10.91

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

-0.37%

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

$0.91 MYR 3.74

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

-48.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

-62.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 MYR 9.87

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

-18.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 MYR 17.56

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

-5.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 MYR 9.95

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 MYR 5.57

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

-41.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.20

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

58.56%

Eggs

$2.62 MYR 10.71

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

19.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.65 MYR 64.0

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

-11.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.90 MYR 20.07

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

19.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 MYR 39.14

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

-21.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 MYR 9.65

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

-36.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

-8.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 MYR 9.32

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.13

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

-35.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MYR 3.74

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

-52.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 MYR 3.23

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

-66.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 MYR 3.17

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

-23.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 MYR 2.66

$0.55 Rp 9,795

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 MYR 19.08

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

108.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.25 MYR 87.0

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 MYR 10.18

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MYR 14.85

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

21.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$0.27 Rp 4,825

174.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 MYR 48.18

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

31.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.99

$0.48 Rp 8,586

154.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.06

$0.43 Rp 7,697

16.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 MYR 27.19

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

17.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 MYR 2.45

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

-25.00%

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

$41.8K MYR 171.1K

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

67.61%

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

$28.8K MYR 117.7K

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

-9.32%

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

$50.7 MYR 207

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-37.82%

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

$7.98 MYR 32.64

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

22.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.15 MYR 132

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

71.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.87 MYR 163

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-29.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 MYR 23.67

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

-69.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.69

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

5.95%

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

$171 MYR 698

$481 Rp 8.5M

-64.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,987 MYR 20.4K

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

-12.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 MYR 223

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

19.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.20 MYR 144

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

-1.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 MYR 296

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-10.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.5 MYR 284

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

-11.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$416 MYR 1,701

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

-62.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 MYR 1,311

$698 Rp 12.4M

-54.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 MYR 2,837

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

-80.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 MYR 1,847

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-74.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,745 MYR 7,141

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

-37.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,006 MYR 4,117

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

-56.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,329 MYR 5,440

$168 Rp 3.0M

691.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

13.78

-67.85%

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

Last update for Kedah: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $416 in Kedah and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 691% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Kedah vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $295 per month, with Kedah 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

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

Kedah and Ubud, Bali differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($944 vs $1,368 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 691% higher in Kedah, 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: $416 in Kedah versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $171 in Kedah versus $481 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $944 in Kedah versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kedah but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kedah 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, Kedah 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 Kedah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.