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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $804 in Kuching versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,223 in Kuching versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,642 in Kuching versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 44% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kuching is 40% below, Ubud, Bali is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 MYR 11.08

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

-21.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.00 MYR 79.0

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

-38.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 18.49

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

-7.69%

Cappuccino

$2.45 MYR 9.69

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

-13.43%

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

$0.75 MYR 2.94

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

-44.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.27

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

-53.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 MYR 11.43

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

-3.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MYR 14.33

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

-5.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.51

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

9.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

-55.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 MYR 4.03

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.26 MYR 8.91

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

-7.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 MYR 37.72

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

-34.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 14.72

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

-10.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 MYR 31.56

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

-33.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MYR 12.18

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

-16.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.54

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

-28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.36

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

-2.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 MYR 7.15

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

-22.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.40

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

-41.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.89

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

-43.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

64.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

-26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 16.67

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

34.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.58 MYR 85.3

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-8.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 MYR 15.18

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

40.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 13.71

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

20.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$0.29 Rp 5,010

-13.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 46.78

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

44.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$0.45 Rp 7,834

117.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$0.42 Rp 7,278

164.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 MYR 7.60

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

-68.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

-44.05%

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

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

75.57%

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

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

11.73%

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

$40.86 MYR 161

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-47.90%

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

$9.15 MYR 36.13

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

131.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.01 MYR 98.8

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

2.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.43 MYR 116

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-69.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.87 MYR 39.00

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

55.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 MYR 18.65

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

16.83%

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

$145 MYR 575

$303 Rp 5.2M

-51.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

-5.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 260

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

22.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.81 MYR 126

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

-16.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 MYR 340

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

-0.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 282

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-9.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,123

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

-71.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MYR 800

$674 Rp 11.6M

-69.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,237

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-83.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,494

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

-81.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 MYR 8,254

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

-29.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 MYR 6,145

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

-33.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 MYR 2,186

$173 Rp 3.0M

219.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

13.28

-67.85%

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

Last update for Kuching: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Kuching and $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 220% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Kuching vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $298 per month, with Kuching 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

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

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Kuching pays 220% 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: $284 in Kuching 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 Kuching – a meal for two runs $20.00 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 $804 per month in Kuching versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $804 in Kuching versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kuching is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kuching 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 Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.