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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,463 in Molde versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,636 in Molde versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,808 in Molde versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Molde is roughly 71% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Molde 84% above, Ubud, Bali 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.70 NOK 239

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

619.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.6 NOK 742

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

144.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.48 NOK 126

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

165.88%

Cappuccino

$5.16 NOK 48.10

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

82.33%

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

$2.77 NOK 25.80

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

106.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 NOK 24.43

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

279.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.27 NOK 86.4

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

210.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.93 NOK 92.5

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

157.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 NOK 20.47

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

26.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 NOK 28.69

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

21.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 NOK 35.13

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

216.81%

Eggs

$3.08 NOK 28.68

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

26.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 NOK 86.5

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

-36.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.33 NOK 162

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

314.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.43 NOK 256

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

129.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 NOK 23.16

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

-32.52%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 NOK 29.16

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

94.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 NOK 31.61

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

26.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 NOK 53.1

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

144.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 NOK 14.55

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

-18.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 NOK 21.13

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

3.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 NOK 24.09

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

143.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 17.02

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

154.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.19 NOK 169

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

481.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.75 NOK 156

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-28.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 NOK 26.57

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

4.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 NOK 38.04

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

41.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.20 NOK 39.13

$0.29 Rp 5,010

1348.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.8 NOK 753

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

889.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.31 NOK 96.1

$0.45 Rp 7,834

2191.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 NOK 13.63

$0.42 Rp 7,278

247.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.39 NOK 442

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

669.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 NOK 19.97

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

154.76%

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

$34.9K NOK 325.0K

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

32.86%

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

$38.0K NOK 353.8K

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

16.90%

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

$241 NOK 2,244

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

206.98%

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

$38.28 NOK 357

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

869.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 NOK 509

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

123.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.56 NOK 462

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-48.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 NOK 330

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

458.11%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 NOK 153

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

306.68%

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

$200 NOK 1,862

$303 Rp 5.2M

-33.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K NOK 95.8K

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

57.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.8 NOK 902

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

79.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 NOK 494

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

39.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 NOK 937

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

15.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 NOK 1,435

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

95.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 NOK 11.3K

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

19.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$901 NOK 8,399

$674 Rp 11.6M

33.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 NOK 13.2K

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-58.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 NOK 13.2K

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

-32.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,886 NOK 64.2K

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

130.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,940 NOK 46.0K

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

111.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,728 NOK 34.7K

$173 Rp 3.0M

2053.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.75

13.28

-71.76%

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

Last update for Molde: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,211 in Molde and $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Molde pays 2054% 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: $80.0 in Molde vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $448 vs $298 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

Molde 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 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Molde pays 2054% 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: $1,211 in Molde versus $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $200 in Molde versus $303 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Molde. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,463 in Molde, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Molde. 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 Molde, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Molde 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 71% less than in Molde. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.