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: $1,779 in Mahe versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,453 in Mahe versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,128 in Mahe versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Mahe is roughly 25% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mahe 33% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.43 SCR 223

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

333.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 SCR 1,010

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

113.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 SCR 119

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

66.06%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SCR 63.4

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

61.62%

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

$2.37 SCR 34.24

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

76.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SCR 26.20

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

158.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.24 SCR 119

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

182.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 SCR 75.0

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

30.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 SCR 23.04

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

-12.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 SCR 15.79

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

-56.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 SCR 24.99

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

49.14%

Eggs

$4.16 SCR 60.2

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

69.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 SCR 226

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

6.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 SCR 114

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

82.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 SCR 181

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

3.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 SCR 29.77

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

-46.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 SCR 32.29

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

-21.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 SCR 74.5

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

121.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 SCR 13.83

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

-49.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 SCR 13.84

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

-56.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SCR 15.34

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.15 SCR 176

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

265.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 SCR 30.56

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

-24.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SCR 29.81

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

-27.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 SCR 12.24

$0.27 Rp 4,819

214.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.89 SCR 346

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

197.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.24 SCR 148

$0.46 Rp 8,181

2126.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.21 SCR 46.39

$0.45 Rp 8,068

613.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 SCR 148

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

67.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 SCR 22.58

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

97.47%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

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

$84.0 SCR 1,216

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

5.07%

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

$21.09 SCR 305

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

419.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$161 SCR 2,324

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

582.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 SCR 760

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-46.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 SCR 91.0

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

51.33%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.27 SCR 395

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

-50.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.82 SCR 157

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

-71.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.47 SCR 629

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-50.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 SCR 799

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-29.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 SCR 11.8K

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-18.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 SCR 12.3K

$675 Rp 12.1M

26.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 SCR 25.2K

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

-49.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 SCR 14.9K

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

-49.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 SCR 13.0K

$165 Rp 3.0M

442.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Mahe: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $815 in Mahe and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahe pays 443% 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: $70.0 in Mahe vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $302, 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 25% 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.

Mahe pays 443% more on average, 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: $815 in Mahe versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mahe pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,779 per month in Mahe versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,779 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 $1,419 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 25% less than in Mahe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.