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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,065 in Mecca versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,917 in Mecca versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,769 in Mecca versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 25% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mecca is 21% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 SAR 18.34

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

37.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.53 SAR 148

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

20.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 SAR 35.23

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

89.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

Cappuccino

$3.16 SAR 11.87

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

16.61%

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

$0.87 SAR 3.25

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-35.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-58.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-9.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-64.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

93.10%

Eggs

$2.98 SAR 11.19

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

21.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 SAR 26.43

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-52.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 SAR 31.48

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

94.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 SAR 50.2

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

10.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.69

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-39.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

3.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

-37.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.66

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-12.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-34.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-43.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.96

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 SAR 2.56

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-12.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 SAR 30.06

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

141.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$0.27 Rp 4,800

385.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.59 SAR 152

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

405.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 SAR 9.14

$0.46 Rp 8,150

430.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.89

$0.45 Rp 8,037

306.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.59 SAR 39.74

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

73.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-24.05%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

2.33%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-33.24%

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

$77.7 SAR 291

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-2.86%

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

$35.25 SAR 132

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

768.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 SAR 247

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

179.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.6 SAR 329

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-11.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.97 SAR 131

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

427.45%

Cinema Ticket

$18.59 SAR 69.8

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

347.95%

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

$404 SAR 1,517

$304 Rp 5.4M

33.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

-30.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.51 SAR 84.5

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

-59.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 SAR 235

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

63.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 SAR 221

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-33.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.1 SAR 192

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-34.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 SAR 867

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-77.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,058

$675 Rp 12.1M

-58.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 SAR 2,509

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-80.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 SAR 3,851

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-49.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

129.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,238 SAR 8,399

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

-1.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 SAR 4,034

$165 Rp 3.0M

550.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

13.28

-58.58%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mecca: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $231 in Mecca and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 551% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Mecca vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 vs $302, with Mecca cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Mecca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mecca pays 551% 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: $231 in Mecca versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,065 per month in Mecca versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 405% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,065 in Mecca versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Mecca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mecca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mecca 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 Mecca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.