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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $412 in Madurai versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $664 in Madurai versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $916 in Madurai versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Madurai costs roughly 70% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Madurai is 70% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.71 ₹165

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

-50.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.27 ₹985

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

-71.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₹392

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

-28.37%

Cappuccino

$2.33 ₹223

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

-12.73%

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

$0.57 ₹54.8

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-67.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ₹23.04

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

-72.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ₹206

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

-27.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ₹372

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

-14.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.58 ₹55.6

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

-64.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₹51.7

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-76.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.4

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

-42.34%

Eggs

$0.80 ₹76.5

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

-63.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 ₹555

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

-67.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.98 ₹286

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

-27.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₹284

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

-20.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ₹65.9

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

-56.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ₹160

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

-27.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 ₹47.79

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

-74.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 ₹58.0

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

-68.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 ₹66.6

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-70.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₹64.2

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

-33.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.89

$0.55 Rp 9,773

-43.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 ₹488

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

128.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 ₹1,009

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

-54.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₹198

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

-14.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 ₹426

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

48.00%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$9.67 ₹928

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.16

$0.27 Rp 4,814

-25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.28 ₹986

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

14.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₹113

$0.48 Rp 8,566

143.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₹33.76

$0.43 Rp 7,679

-18.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ₹118

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

-78.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ₹100

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

30.00%

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

$18.7K ₹1.8M

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

-25.00%

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

$24.2K ₹2.3M

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

-23.58%

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

$23.06 ₹2,212

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-71.69%

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

$4.79 ₹460

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

-26.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.54 ₹723

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

-59.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.56 ₹1,493

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-72.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.59 ₹632

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

-64.82%

Cinema Ticket

$2.58 ₹247

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

-43.17%

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

$41.57 ₹3,988

$481 Rp 8.5M

-91.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,536 ₹147.3K

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

-73.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.43 ₹2,439

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

-44.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.87 ₹2,482

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

-27.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.5 ₹5,135

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-33.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.08 ₹3,077

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

-59.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 ₹14.1K

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

-86.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$81.8 ₹7,843

$698 Rp 12.4M

-88.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 ₹29.1K

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-91.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ₹19.4K

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-88.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,132 ₹108.6K

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

-59.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$484 ₹46.4K

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

-78.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$355 ₹34.0K

$168 Rp 3.0M

111.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

13.78

-30.41%

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

Last update for Madurai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $147 in Madurai and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madurai pays 111% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $10.00 in Madurai vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $127 vs $295 per month, with Madurai 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

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

Madurai and Ubud, Bali differ by about 232% in total monthly costs ($412 vs $1,368 including rent). Madurai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 111% higher in Madurai, 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: $147 in Madurai versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 132% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Madurai – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $412 in Madurai versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Madurai but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Madurai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Madurai 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 Madurai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 232% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.