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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,792 in Mahe versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,638 in Mahe versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,484 in Mahe versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Mahe is roughly 28% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mahe 30% above, Ubud, Bali 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.05 SCR 259

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

435.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 SCR 1,567

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

183.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 SCR 83.9

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

6.16%

Cappuccino

$6.64 SCR 95.1

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

151.52%

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

$1.63 SCR 23.38

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

-2.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.03 SCR 187

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

395.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.26 SCR 133

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

116.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SCR 23.66

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 SCR 15.72

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

-50.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 SCR 26.07

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

61.06%

Eggs

$4.20 SCR 60.2

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

100.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.27 SCR 233

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

-6.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 SCR 118

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

113.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.94 SCR 185

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

3.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SCR 30.94

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

-40.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 SCR 33.69

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 SCR 91.2

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

209.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 SCR 15.84

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

-41.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 SCR 15.41

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 SCR 16.05

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

8.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.51 SCR 208

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

544.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SCR 31.47

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

-21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 SCR 11.66

$0.27 Rp 4,802

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.92 SCR 529

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

326.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.57 SCR 209

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

154.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 SCR 22.18

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

103.95%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

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

$50.3 SCR 720

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

-39.86%

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

$21.91 SCR 314

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

239.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$108 SCR 1,541

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

466.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 SCR 790

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

-1.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 SCR 94.8

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

54.67%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.48 SCR 451

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

-30.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.53 SCR 180

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

-65.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.6 SCR 724

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

-38.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.7 SCR 898

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-22.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 SCR 12.4K

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

-22.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$883 SCR 12.6K

$701 Rp 12.4M

25.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 SCR 25.7K

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

-49.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 SCR 15.4K

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

-39.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$885 SCR 12.7K

$170 Rp 3.0M

421.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Mahe: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $864 in Mahe and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahe pays 421% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $109 in Mahe vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $247 vs $293, with Mahe 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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Mahe. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 421% higher in Mahe, 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: $864 in Mahe versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mahe pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,792 per month in Mahe versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,792 in Mahe, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Mahe. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,396 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mahe 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Mahe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.