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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,001 per month in Mackay vs $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,156 per month in Mackay vs $2,585 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,312 per month in Mackay vs $3,732 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Mackay costs about 39% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mackay and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Mackay by 49%, Ubud, Bali by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.99 A$22.39

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

347.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 A$102

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

123.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 A$16.61

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

134.12%

Cappuccino

$4.04 A$5.65

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

42.76%

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

$3.04 A$4.26

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

126.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 A$3.71

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

284.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 A$9.34

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

123.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 A$9.31

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

72.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 A$1.92

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

-21.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 A$3.07

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

-13.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.56

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

114.29%

Eggs

$4.99 A$6.99

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

105.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 A$12.37

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

-39.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.18 A$11.45

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

95.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.77 A$20.68

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

23.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 A$4.96

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

-4.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.06

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

80.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 A$3.99

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

5.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 A$6.67

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

104.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 A$2.49

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

-6.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 A$2.33

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

-24.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 A$2.67

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

80.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 A$3.05

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

202.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$39.55 A$55.4

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

1163.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 A$12.07

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

-63.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.77 A$6.67

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

74.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 A$8.15

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

102.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 A$3.13

$0.29 Rp 5,029

672.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 A$90.9

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

694.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 A$7.49

$0.45 Rp 7,863

1088.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 A$2.55

$0.42 Rp 7,305

333.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.31 A$45.24

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

424.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.61

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

36.90%

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

$37.5K A$52.5K

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

42.92%

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

$28.3K A$39.6K

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

-12.96%

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

$185 A$259

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

135.46%

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

$26.51 A$37.11

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

571.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 A$102

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

197.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.8 A$105

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-22.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.61 A$27.46

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

208.82%

Cinema Ticket

$15.72 A$22.00

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

289.11%

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

$1,705 A$2,387

$303 Rp 5.2M

463.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K A$16.6K

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

81.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.4 A$94.4

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

25.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.92 A$67.1

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

26.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 A$156

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

28.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 A$137

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

24.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$906 A$1,269

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

-10.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 A$1,111

$674 Rp 11.7M

17.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 A$2,360

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

-50.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,648 A$2,307

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

-21.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,151 A$8,611

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

106.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,110 A$7,154

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

118.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,644 A$7,902

$173 Rp 3.0M

3160.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.7

13.28

-57.08%

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

Last update for Mackay: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $906 in Mackay versus $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3160% higher in Mackay, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Mackay versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $298 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Mackay is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,001 per month in Mackay and $2,158 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Mackay, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Mackay and $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,438, than in Mackay at $2,001. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mackay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mackay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.