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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,144 in KwaMhlanga versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,798 in KwaMhlanga versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,452 in KwaMhlanga versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in KwaMhlanga costs roughly 16% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: KwaMhlanga is 16% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
KwaMhlanga
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.54 R 173
$3.44 Rp 60.9K
206.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.18 R 707
$36.31 Rp 643.0K
18.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.04 R 99.0
$5.71 Rp 101.0K
5.78%
Cappuccino
$2.35 R 38.52
$2.67 Rp 47.3K
-11.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 R 18.26
$1.75 Rp 31.0K
-36.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 R 15.21
$0.87 Rp 15.4K
6.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 R 39.51
$2.95 Rp 52.3K
-18.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 R 45.81
$4.52 Rp 80.0K
-38.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
KwaMhlanga
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 R 19.78
$1.62 Rp 28.7K
-25.31%
White Bread (500g)
$1.12 R 18.29
$2.33 Rp 41.3K
-51.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.79 R 29.32
$1.11 Rp 19.6K
61.26%
Eggs
$2.61 R 42.79
$2.20 Rp 39.0K
18.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.31 R 136
$17.69 Rp 313.3K
-53.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.44 R 89.1
$4.10 Rp 72.5K
32.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.55 R 124
$12.18 Rp 215.6K
-38.01%
Apples (1kg)
$1.93 R 31.61
$3.71 Rp 65.6K
-47.98%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 R 28.05
$1.59 Rp 28.1K
7.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.80 R 29.41
$2.28 Rp 40.4K
-21.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.72 R 28.18
$1.95 Rp 34.6K
-11.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.57 R 25.78
$1.91 Rp 33.7K
-17.80%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 R 24.54
$2.33 Rp 41.3K
-35.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.22 R 20.00
$1.01 Rp 17.8K
20.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 R 19.58
$0.55 Rp 9,773
118.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.43 R 56.2
$2.23 Rp 39.5K
53.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.24 R 85.8
$23.07 Rp 408.6K
-77.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44 R 23.63
$2.42 Rp 42.8K
-40.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 R 33.53
$3.00 Rp 53.1K
-31.67%
🚌 Getting Around
KwaMhlanga
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.58 R 25.90
$0.27 Rp 4,814
485.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$8.98 Rp 159.1K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.60 R 9.81
$0.48 Rp 8,566
25.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.97 R 15.91
$0.43 Rp 7,679
125.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.28 R 152
$5.64 Rp 99.9K
64.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 R 24.06
$0.80 Rp 14.2K
83.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.5K R 598.2K
$24.9K Rp 441.7M
46.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7K R 534.9K
$31.7K Rp 561.5M
2.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
KwaMhlanga
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$147 R 2,400
$81.5 Rp 1.4M
79.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.01 R 573
$6.49 Rp 115.0K
439.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.47 R 630
$18.77 Rp 332.4K
104.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
KwaMhlanga
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.63 R 551
$56.9 Rp 1.0M
-40.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.73 Rp 331.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.62 R 125
$4.54 Rp 80.4K
67.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
KwaMhlanga
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$256 R 4,193
$481 Rp 8.5M
-46.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,702 R 93.4K
$5,711 Rp 101.1M
-0.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
KwaMhlanga
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 R 908
$45.52 Rp 806.0K
21.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.80 R 554
$35.88 Rp 635.4K
-5.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 R 1,796
$80.4 Rp 1.4M
36.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.8 R 1,520
$78.7 Rp 1.4M
17.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
KwaMhlanga
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$432 R 7,076
$1,115 Rp 19.7M
-61.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$368 R 6,033
$698 Rp 12.4M
-47.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$805 R 13.2K
$3,637 Rp 64.4M
-77.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$759 R 12.4K
$1,737 Rp 30.8M
-56.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$899 R 14.7K
$2,784 Rp 49.3M
-67.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$694 R 11.4K
$2,290 Rp 40.5M
-69.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
KwaMhlanga
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$168 Rp 3.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11
13.78
-20.17%

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

Last update for KwaMhlanga: September 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in KwaMhlanga and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in KwaMhlanga vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $295, with KwaMhlanga cheaper for home cooking.

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
KwaMhlanga vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, KwaMhlanga or Ubud, Bali?
KwaMhlanga wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making KwaMhlanga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in KwaMhlanga and in Ubud, Bali?
You'd need roughly $1,715 in KwaMhlanga and $2,052 in Ubud, Bali to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in KwaMhlanga compared to Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $432 in KwaMhlanga versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in KwaMhlanga or in Ubud, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in KwaMhlanga compared to Ubud, Bali?
All in, you'll spend $1,144 per month in KwaMhlanga versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in KwaMhlanga or in Ubud, Bali?
At $1,144 in KwaMhlanga versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in KwaMhlanga but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes KwaMhlanga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, KwaMhlanga or Ubud, Bali?
Both work as nomad bases, but KwaMhlanga delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,144 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes KwaMhlanga hard to pass up.
How safe is KwaMhlanga compared to Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, KwaMhlanga 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find KwaMhlanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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