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: $889 in Kuching versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Kuching versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,852 in Kuching versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 35% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kuching is 36% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 14.35

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

6.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.07 MYR 102

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

-30.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 MYR 20.05

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

-12.43%

Cappuccino

$3.35 MYR 13.64

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

18.79%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.24

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-54.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.57

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

-51.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 MYR 18.84

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

52.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 MYR 24.67

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

40.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 MYR 9.47

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

44.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-47.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.95

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

4.27%

Eggs

$2.56 MYR 10.40

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

17.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 MYR 46.74

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-34.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 MYR 18.04

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

9.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 39.38

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

-20.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.69

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-7.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.43

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

-18.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 MYR 9.96

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

6.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MYR 7.58

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

-5.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.37

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

-14.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.69

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-51.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MYR 6.46

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

51.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.54 Rp 9,560

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 MYR 19.53

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

108.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.20 MYR 86.2

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-8.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.07 MYR 16.56

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

73.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.63

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

65.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MYR 2.58

$0.25 Rp 4,365

152.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.58 MYR 51.2

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

33.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.90

$0.49 Rp 8,631

95.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.13

$0.47 Rp 8,349

168.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.85 MYR 36.00

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

58.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 MYR 3.47

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

4.94%

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

$42.5K MYR 172.8K

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

69.81%

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

$36.7K MYR 149.4K

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

18.24%

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

$35.37 MYR 144

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

-57.24%

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

$10.29 MYR 41.88

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

58.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.25 MYR 98.7

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

29.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.72 MYR 125

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

-44.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.25 MYR 49.84

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

-32.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 19.96

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

14.19%

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

$135 MYR 551

$494 Rp 8.7M

-72.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,205 MYR 29.3K

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

21.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 MYR 258

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

36.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.96 MYR 154

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

4.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 MYR 369

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

12.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.9 MYR 272

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

-15.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,510

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-66.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 MYR 977

$693 Rp 12.2M

-65.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 MYR 2,635

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-82.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 MYR 1,845

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-73.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,112 MYR 8,593

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

-23.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 MYR 6,313

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

-32.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 MYR 2,229

$167 Rp 2.9M

227.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

13.78

-68.29%

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

Last update for Kuching: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Kuching and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 228% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Kuching vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $294 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 228% higher in Kuching, 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: $371 in Kuching versus $1,114 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 $25.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $889 per month in Kuching versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $889 in Kuching versus $1,378 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 55% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.