Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Kinabalu and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Kinabalu and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $840 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,352 in Kota Kinabalu versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,865 in Kota Kinabalu versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kota Kinabalu costs roughly 41% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kota Kinabalu is 37% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 13.89

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

-1.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.05 MYR 75.6

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

-41.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 MYR 18.53

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

-5.66%

Cappuccino

$2.60 MYR 10.32

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

-4.06%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.72

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-48.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.46

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-47.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 MYR 9.45

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

-18.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 MYR 13.91

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

-11.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MYR 6.66

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-7.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 MYR 4.91

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-50.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.72

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

46.55%

Eggs

$2.89 MYR 11.47

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

17.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.74 MYR 102

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

74.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 MYR 13.65

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

-20.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 MYR 29.45

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-38.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.16

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.62

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

-25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 MYR 12.46

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

10.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 MYR 7.58

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-18.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.02

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-20.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.79

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-22.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.49

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

11.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 MYR 1.88

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-39.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MYR 16.79

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

27.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.30 MYR 64.6

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-31.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 MYR 7.35

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

-33.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 MYR 6.37

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

-43.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 MYR 6.00

$0.27 Rp 4,800

459.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.03 MYR 163

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

410.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 MYR 7.54

$0.46 Rp 8,150

313.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$0.45 Rp 8,037

2.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.75 MYR 22.80

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

-5.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-41.77%

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

$29.6K MYR 117.2K

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

13.06%

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

$27.1K MYR 107.6K

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-15.48%

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

$51.6 MYR 205

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-35.40%

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

$9.22 MYR 36.55

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

127.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.25 MYR 128

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

37.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.54 MYR 173

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-55.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.99 MYR 11.87

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

-54.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 MYR 18.76

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

13.98%

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

$132 MYR 523

$304 Rp 5.4M

-56.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,506 MYR 17.9K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

-31.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 MYR 240

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

9.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.99 MYR 91.2

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

-39.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 MYR 283

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-19.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 MYR 375

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

21.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 MYR 1,473

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-63.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 MYR 667

$675 Rp 12.1M

-75.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,540

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-81.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 MYR 1,461

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-81.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,889 MYR 7,492

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

-33.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,133 MYR 4,492

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

-49.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 MYR 2,370

$165 Rp 3.0M

261.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

13.28

-71.39%

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

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $372 in Kota Kinabalu and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kota Kinabalu pays 262% 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 Kota Kinabalu vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $302 per month, with Kota Kinabalu 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

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

Kota Kinabalu wins on cost – living expenses run 69% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kota Kinabalu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Kota Kinabalu pays 262% 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: $372 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kota Kinabalu runs roughly 411% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $132 in Kota Kinabalu versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $840 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kota Kinabalu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kota Kinabalu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kota Kinabalu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $840 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kota Kinabalu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kota Kinabalu 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 Kota Kinabalu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.