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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $238 in Mandalay versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $422 in Mandalay versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $605 in Mandalay versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Mandalay costs roughly 83% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mandalay is 82% below, Ubud, Bali is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 MMK 4,280

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

-42.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.00 MMK 29.4K

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

-57.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

Cappuccino

$1.26 MMK 2,642

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

-55.48%

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

$0.82 MMK 1,721

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

-38.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MMK 2,043

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

40.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 MMK 1,612

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

-74.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MMK 2,675

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

-67.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 MMK 2,133

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

-41.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MMK 2,153

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

-59.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.54 MMK 1,128

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

-54.62%

Eggs

$0.97 MMK 2,044

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

-60.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 MMK 21.0K

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

-31.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.94 MMK 12.5K

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

42.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.05 MMK 14.8K

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

-40.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 MMK 8,777

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

13.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 MMK 2,129

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

-37.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 MMK 2,793

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

-50.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 MMK 1,437

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

-70.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 MMK 2,755

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

-31.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MMK 2,468

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

-46.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 MMK 804

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

-64.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 MMK 600

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

-59.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.99 MMK 2,073

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

-68.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 MMK 10.4K

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-78.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MMK 1,187

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

-79.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,010

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,834

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 MMK 876

$0.42 Rp 7,278

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 MMK 8,607

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

-33.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

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

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

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

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

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

$6.60 MMK 13.9K

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

67.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.27 MMK 38.4K

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-81.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

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

$236 MMK 496.2K

$303 Rp 5.2M

-21.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,642 MMK 11.9M

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

-13.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 MMK 426.9K

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

-79.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 MMK 624.9K

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-91.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$202 MMK 423.3K

$173 Rp 3.0M

16.39%

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 Mandalay: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $203 in Mandalay and $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandalay pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14 in Mandalay vs $33 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $298 per month, with Mandalay 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

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

Mandalay wins on cost – living expenses run 505% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mandalay the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Mandalay pays 16% 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: $203 in Mandalay versus $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $238 per month in Mandalay versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali – a 505% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $238 in Mandalay versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mandalay but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Mandalay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mandalay delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $238 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mandalay hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mandalay 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 Mandalay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 505% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.