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: $869 in Kedah versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,333 in Kedah versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,797 in Kedah versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kedah costs roughly 40% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kedah is 35% below, Ubud, Bali is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 MYR 12.26

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

-13.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.93 MYR 82.7

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

-35.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 MYR 16.26

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

-18.74%

Cappuccino

$2.92 MYR 11.52

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

3.18%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.91

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

-44.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

-47.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 16.95

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

43.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 MYR 17.91

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

17.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.16

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

4.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 MYR 3.65

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

-63.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.78

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

1.68%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.15

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

-15.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.78 MYR 58.4

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

0.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 MYR 19.67

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

19.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 MYR 58.6

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

24.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MYR 10.99

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

-24.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.76

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

-25.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 MYR 10.70

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

0.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 MYR 8.51

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

-7.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.64

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

-38.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.64

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

-46.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.74

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

-10.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.77

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.08

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

38.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.89 MYR 78.6

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-15.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MYR 10.61

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

-1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 13.96

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

22.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.70

$0.29 Rp 5,010

134.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 45.78

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

41.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.45 Rp 7,834

60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.85

$0.42 Rp 7,278

11.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.96 MYR 27.49

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

12.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

-41.67%

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

$33.7K MYR 133.3K

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

28.56%

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

$27.2K MYR 107.4K

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

-16.25%

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

$37.91 MYR 150

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-51.66%

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

$10.09 MYR 39.84

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

155.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.64 MYR 45.97

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

-52.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.47 MYR 148

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-61.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.95 MYR 23.49

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

-6.30%

Cinema Ticket

$2.77 MYR 10.95

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

-31.44%

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

$238 MYR 942

$303 Rp 5.2M

-21.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,226 MYR 24.6K

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

-4.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 MYR 216

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.36 MYR 116

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

-22.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 MYR 241

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

-29.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.8 MYR 208

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-33.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MYR 1,558

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

-61.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,046

$674 Rp 11.6M

-60.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,590

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-80.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,858

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

-77.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,947 MYR 7,692

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

-34.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$795 MYR 3,142

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

-66.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,390 MYR 5,491

$173 Rp 3.0M

702.93%

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 Kedah: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $394 in Kedah and $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 703% 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 Kedah vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $298 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 66% in total monthly costs ($869 vs $1,438 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kedah pays 703% 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: $394 in Kedah versus $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 in Kedah versus $303 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $869 in Kedah versus $1,438 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 66% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.