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: $868 in Kedah versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,344 in Kedah versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,819 in Kedah versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kedah costs roughly 38% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kedah is 35% below, Ubud, Bali is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 MYR 12.24

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

-15.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.42 MYR 86.9

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

-34.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 MYR 17.34

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

-11.93%

Cappuccino

$2.95 MYR 11.95

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

7.27%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-43.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.48

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-47.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 MYR 17.83

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

51.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MYR 18.18

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

18.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.34

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

5.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 MYR 3.67

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

-63.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

0.83%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.58

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

-13.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.33 MYR 62.2

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

6.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 MYR 20.26

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

16.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 MYR 59.5

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

20.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MYR 11.69

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

-21.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.83

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

-23.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.59

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

-6.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MYR 8.81

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

-6.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.83

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

-39.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.71

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-49.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 MYR 3.92

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-8.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

-34.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.75

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

25.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.59 MYR 79.5

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-14.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.69

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-6.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 MYR 13.66

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

21.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$0.29 Rp 5,217

134.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 MYR 47.71

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

46.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MYR 2.82

$0.45 Rp 8,047

53.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$0.45 Rp 8,094

4.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 MYR 28.32

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

11.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

-42.35%

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

$33.5K MYR 135.8K

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

28.88%

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

$27.4K MYR 110.9K

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

-13.58%

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

$38.49 MYR 156

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

-52.33%

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

$9.99 MYR 40.49

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

146.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.96 MYR 48.51

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

-51.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 MYR 148

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

-62.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.85 MYR 23.74

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

-9.30%

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 MYR 11.40

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

-30.45%

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

$238 MYR 963

$304 Rp 5.4M

-21.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,215 MYR 25.2K

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

-6.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 MYR 225

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

2.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.32 MYR 115

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

-26.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 MYR 251

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

-28.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 MYR 213

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

-31.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,540

$986 Rp 17.7M

-61.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 MYR 1,093

$658 Rp 11.8M

-59.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,620

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

-80.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MYR 1,885

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

-77.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,964 MYR 7,963

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

-28.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 MYR 3,880

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

-57.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,322 MYR 5,359

$163 Rp 2.9M

708.74%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Kedah and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 709% 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 $273 vs $297 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 62% in total monthly costs ($868 vs $1,404 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kedah pays 709% 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: $380 in Kedah versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 in Kedah versus $304 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 $868 in Kedah versus $1,404 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 62% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.