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: $646 in May Pen versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,005 in May Pen versus $2,588 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,364 in May Pen versus $3,778 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in May Pen costs roughly 54% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: May Pen is 52% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 Rp 61.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.97 Rp 574.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 Rp 90.8K

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.8K

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

$1.39 Rp 25.0K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 Rp 52.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 JMD 335

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

18.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 JMD 577

$2.51 Rp 45.0K

45.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 JMD 499

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

161.98%

Eggs

$3.29 JMD 517

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

38.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 Rp 259.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 JMD 1,195

$4.15 Rp 74.6K

82.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.89 JMD 769

$12.11 Rp 217.7K

-59.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 244

$3.77 Rp 67.7K

-58.89%

Banana (1kg)

$5.15 JMD 811

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

215.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.24 JMD 983

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

130.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 303

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

-15.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 JMD 289

$1.93 Rp 34.6K

-4.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 302

$2.19 Rp 39.4K

-12.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.18 JMD 501

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

211.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 JMD 440

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

287.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 57.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.84 Rp 428.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 JMD 350

$2.77 Rp 49.8K

-19.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 JMD 132

$0.27 Rp 4,802

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.20 Rp 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,684

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,571

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 Rp 108.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 JMD 215

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

65.85%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.3M

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

$32.2K Rp 578.6M

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

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

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

$42.30 JMD 6,661

$3.91 Rp 70.3K

981.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.33 JMD 6,194

$23.91 Rp 429.7K

64.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 117.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.1K

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

$316 JMD 49.7K

$303 Rp 5.4M

4.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,551 Rp 117.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.55 JMD 2,448

$55.3 Rp 993.9K

-71.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.02 JMD 3,467

$38.32 Rp 688.6K

-42.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.24 JMD 6,336

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

-54.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.4 JMD 8,416

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

-30.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 JMD 27.4K

$986 Rp 17.7M

-82.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$222 JMD 34.9K

$682 Rp 12.3M

-67.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 JMD 89.7K

$3,420 Rp 61.5M

-83.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 JMD 70.4K

$2,075 Rp 37.3M

-78.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,762 Rp 49.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 Rp 40.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $174 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 116% 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 $970 in May Pen and $2,096 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: $174 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 $646 per month in May Pen versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $646 in May Pen versus $1,397 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 $646 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 116% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.