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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,034 in Mechelen versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,147 in Mechelen versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,260 in Mechelen versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Mechelen is roughly 45% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mechelen 51% above, Ubud, Bali 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.17 €19.96

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

549.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 €97.8

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

249.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.63 €10.88

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

159.88%

Cappuccino

$4.11 €3.54

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

49.45%

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

$3.35 €2.89

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

153.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 €2.65

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

338.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.50 €4.74

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

89.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 €3.87

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

18.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

-24.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 €2.40

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

12.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

92.50%

Eggs

$4.05 €3.49

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

65.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.47 €15.05

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

21.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.85 €10.21

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

174.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.74 €16.14

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

53.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 €2.51

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

-20.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

50.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

-19.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

36.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

-2.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-11.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

28.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

19.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.81 €11.04

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

290.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 €8.09

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-58.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 €1.61

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-33.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-15.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.24 €2.80

$0.29 Rp 5,217

1017.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.5 €48.64

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

600.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 €5.11

$0.45 Rp 8,047

1220.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 €2.19

$0.45 Rp 8,094

466.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.47 €40.04

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

644.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.63

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

122.35%

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

$33.8K €29.1K

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

30.20%

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

$33.3K €28.7K

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

5.32%

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

$201 €173

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

148.90%

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

$24.99 €21.53

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

515.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 €43.50

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

106.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.91 €26.63

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

-68.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.06 €12.11

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

117.98%

Cinema Ticket

$14.81 €12.76

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

266.58%

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

$588 €506

$304 Rp 5.4M

93.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K €11.7K

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

105.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €96.4

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

106.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 €43.90

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

31.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 €92.3

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

24.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 €141

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

113.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 €789

$986 Rp 17.7M

-7.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 €643

$658 Rp 11.8M

13.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 €1,165

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

-59.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 €943

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

-47.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,295 €1,977

$163 Rp 2.9M

1304.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.27

13.28

-75.38%

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

Last update for Mechelen: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $916 in Mechelen and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mechelen pays 1304% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $113 in Mechelen vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $297 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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

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

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mechelen pays 1304% 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: $916 in Mechelen versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 600% less than in Mechelen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $588 in Mechelen versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,034 in Mechelen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Mechelen. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Mechelen 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Mechelen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.