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: $242 in Mandalay versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $425 in Mandalay versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $608 in Mandalay versus $3,723 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 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 MMK 4,100

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

-45.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.40 MMK 30.1K

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

-55.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

Cappuccino

$1.32 MMK 2,765

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

-53.19%

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

$0.87 MMK 1,818

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-35.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MMK 2,038

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

32.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.78 MMK 1,625

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

-73.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MMK 2,649

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

-67.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 MMK 2,032

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

-45.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MMK 2,144

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

-58.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.54 MMK 1,124

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

-53.04%

Eggs

$0.92 MMK 1,919

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

-61.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 MMK 21.4K

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

-28.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 MMK 12.4K

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

41.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.13 MMK 14.9K

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

-40.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 MMK 8,883

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

16.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 MMK 2,127

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-35.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MMK 2,645

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

-54.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 MMK 1,430

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

-69.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 MMK 2,663

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

-35.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MMK 2,535

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

-46.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MMK 806

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

-62.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 MMK 601

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-63.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.98 MMK 2,062

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

-69.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 MMK 10.4K

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

-78.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MMK 1,243

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

-79.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,821

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,180

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 MMK 869

$0.46 Rp 8,311

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 MMK 8,182

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

-35.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

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

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

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

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

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

$6.62 MMK 13.9K

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

61.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.84 MMK 37.3K

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-81.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

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

$237 MMK 496.6K

$297 Rp 5.4M

-20.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,822 MMK 12.2M

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

-11.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 MMK 420.9K

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-80.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 MMK 638.6K

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

-91.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$199 MMK 416.0K

$164 Rp 3.0M

21.39%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Mandalay and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandalay pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Mandalay vs $32.00 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 474% 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 21% 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: $201 in Mandalay versus $1,020 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 $242 per month in Mandalay versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali – a 474% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $242 in Mandalay versus $1,392 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 $242 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 474% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.