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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,524 in Male versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,378 in Male versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,232 in Male versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Male is roughly 7% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Male 14% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 MVR 85.0

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

54.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.17 MVR 450

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

-10.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 MVR 152

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

99.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 MVR 68.5

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MVR 56.0

Cappuccino

$2.86 MVR 44.15

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

5.54%

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

$1.28 MVR 19.76

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-4.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MVR 3.83

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MVR 27.55

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-1.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 MVR 23.96

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-38.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 MVR 20.89

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

16.38%

Eggs

$1.80 MVR 27.76

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

-26.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 MVR 128

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-43.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 MVR 97.1

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

45.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.12 MVR 141

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-24.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 MVR 63.8

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

7.81%

Banana (1kg)

$3.78 MVR 58.3

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

142.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 MVR 66.8

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

53.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 MVR 49.24

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

36.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 MVR 22.98

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-21.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 MVR 18.91

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-44.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 MVR 47.22

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

202.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MVR 7.83

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-34.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.30 MVR 190

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MVR 41.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.51 MVR 162

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.33 MVR 128

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

150.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MVR 10.18

$0.27 Rp 4,800

144.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.81 MVR 444

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

258.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 MVR 29.87

$0.46 Rp 8,150

321.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 MVR 29.43

$0.45 Rp 8,037

324.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.96 MVR 154

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

63.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 MVR 14.17

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

16.46%

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

$32.2K MVR 497.2K

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

23.31%

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

$34.6K MVR 534.0K

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

7.83%

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

$105 MVR 1,613

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

30.82%

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

$41.62 MVR 642

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

925.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.6 MVR 1,182

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

225.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 MVR 1,242

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-18.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.50 MVR 671

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

556.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.81 MVR 151

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

136.39%

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

$163 MVR 2,521

$304 Rp 5.4M

-46.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,626 MVR 55.9K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

-45.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.36 MVR 700

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

-18.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 MVR 860

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

45.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 MVR 1,383

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

1.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.4 MVR 839

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-30.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 MVR 15.0K

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-3.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 MVR 10.8K

$675 Rp 12.1M

3.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 MVR 26.2K

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-50.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 MVR 22.0K

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-30.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,300 MVR 35.5K

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

-19.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,905 MVR 29.4K

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

-15.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$857 MVR 13.2K

$165 Rp 3.0M

418.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.4

13.28

-6.63%

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

Last update for Male: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $970 in Male and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 419% 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: $29.00 in Male vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $302 per month, with Male 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

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

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Male pays 419% 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: $970 in Male versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,524 per month in Male versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 259% less than in Male. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,524 in Male, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Male. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Male, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Male 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 7% less than in Male. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.