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: $244 in Mandalay versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $417 in Mandalay versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $590 in Mandalay versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Mandalay costs roughly 82% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mandalay is 82% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 MMK 4,306

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

-38.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.09 MMK 21.1K

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

-71.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

Cappuccino

$1.30 MMK 2,722

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

-53.90%

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

$0.82 MMK 1,718

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-53.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 MMK 2,122

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

26.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 MMK 2,153

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

-66.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 MMK 2,564

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

-71.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 MMK 2,037

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

-39.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MMK 2,138

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-55.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.54 MMK 1,140

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

-53.85%

Eggs

$0.92 MMK 1,929

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

-57.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 MMK 21.6K

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-41.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.94 MMK 12.4K

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

46.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 MMK 14.2K

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

-44.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.17 MMK 8,731

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

15.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 MMK 2,056

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

-40.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 MMK 2,687

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

-44.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 MMK 1,409

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

-65.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 MMK 2,683

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

-30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 MMK 2,567

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-48.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 MMK 804

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

-63.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 MMK 600

$0.54 Rp 9,560

-46.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.98 MMK 2,044

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

-57.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.99 MMK 10.4K

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-78.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MMK 1,177

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-76.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MMK 804

$0.47 Rp 8,349

-19.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 MMK 8,413

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

-28.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

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

$6.82 MMK 14.3K

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

5.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.96 MMK 37.6K

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

-67.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

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

$235 MMK 492.1K

$494 Rp 8.7M

-52.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,813 MMK 12.2M

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

-1.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 MMK 411.7K

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-82.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$299 MMK 626.3K

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-91.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$199 MMK 417.1K

$167 Rp 2.9M

19.22%

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 Mandalay: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $197 in Mandalay and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandalay pays 19% 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 Mandalay vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $294 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 465% 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.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Mandalay, 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: $197 in Mandalay versus $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $244 per month in Mandalay versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali – a 465% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $244 in Mandalay versus $1,378 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 $244 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 465% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.