Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between May Pen and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $634 in May Pen versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $993 in May Pen versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,351 in May Pen versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in May Pen costs roughly 55% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: May Pen is 53% below, Ubud, Bali is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.7K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 589.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 88.2K

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.8K

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

$1.32 Rp 24.0K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.8K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 JMD 348

$1.71 Rp 31.0K

29.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 JMD 584

$2.47 Rp 44.9K

50.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 JMD 496

$1.20 Rp 21.8K

162.50%

Eggs

$3.33 JMD 524

$2.44 Rp 44.3K

36.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 260.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 JMD 1,166

$4.31 Rp 78.1K

71.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.04 JMD 792

$12.21 Rp 221.4K

-58.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 JMD 249

$3.68 Rp 66.8K

-57.07%

Banana (1kg)

$4.99 JMD 785

$1.55 Rp 28.1K

221.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.20 JMD 975

$2.79 Rp 50.5K

122.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 JMD 292

$2.33 Rp 42.3K

-20.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 JMD 301

$1.97 Rp 35.7K

-3.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 302

$2.31 Rp 41.9K

-16.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.10 JMD 488

$1.06 Rp 19.3K

192.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 JMD 455

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

295.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 59.5K

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 413.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 JMD 340

$2.81 Rp 50.9K

-23.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 50.5K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 JMD 131

$0.29 Rp 5,281

186.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 146.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,146

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,193

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 113.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 JMD 214

$0.85 Rp 15.4K

60.00%

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

$26.0K Rp 471.2M

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

$31.7K Rp 574.1M

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

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

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

$43.00 JMD 6,763

$4.06 Rp 73.6K

959.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.76 JMD 6,254

$24.42 Rp 442.9K

62.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 116.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 73.3K

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

$318 JMD 50.0K

$304 Rp 5.5M

4.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 120.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.93 JMD 2,505

$54.2 Rp 983.6K

-70.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.77 JMD 3,425

$38.78 Rp 703.2K

-43.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.01 JMD 6,450

$86.1 Rp 1.6M

-52.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 JMD 8,440

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

-30.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 JMD 27.8K

$986 Rp 17.9M

-82.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 JMD 34.7K

$658 Rp 11.9M

-66.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 JMD 90.2K

$3,369 Rp 61.1M

-82.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 JMD 68.2K

$2,066 Rp 37.5M

-79.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 3.0M

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 May Pen: June 6, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in May Pen and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

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

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 121% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making May Pen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $952 in May Pen and $2,106 in Ubud, Bali to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $177 in May Pen versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $634 per month in May Pen versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $634 in May Pen versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes May Pen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but May Pen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $634 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes May Pen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, May Pen 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 May Pen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 121% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.