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: $2,410 in Molde versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,669 in Molde versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,929 in Molde versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Molde is roughly 72% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Molde 79% above, Ubud, Bali 4% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Molde
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.59 NOK 243
$3.57 Rp 64.0K
616.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.4 NOK 754
$32.50 Rp 582.3K
144.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.54 NOK 129
$4.86 Rp 87.1K
178.60%
Cappuccino
$5.18 NOK 49.13
$2.75 Rp 49.2K
88.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 NOK 27.32
$1.32 Rp 23.7K
118.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 NOK 25.26
$0.70 Rp 12.6K
280.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.06 NOK 86.0
$2.91 Rp 52.2K
211.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.96 NOK 94.6
$3.79 Rp 68.0K
162.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Molde
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.20 NOK 20.87
$1.71 Rp 30.6K
28.65%
White Bread (500g)
$3.01 NOK 28.58
$2.47 Rp 44.3K
21.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.87 NOK 36.76
$1.20 Rp 21.5K
222.50%
Eggs
$3.09 NOK 29.28
$2.44 Rp 43.8K
26.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.05 NOK 85.9
$14.38 Rp 257.7K
-37.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.79 NOK 159
$4.31 Rp 77.1K
289.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$27.72 NOK 263
$12.21 Rp 218.7K
127.03%
Apples (1kg)
$2.50 NOK 23.75
$3.68 Rp 66.0K
-32.07%
Banana (1kg)
$3.06 NOK 29.03
$1.55 Rp 27.8K
97.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.38 NOK 32.13
$2.79 Rp 49.9K
21.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.55 NOK 52.6
$2.33 Rp 41.8K
138.20%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 NOK 14.56
$1.97 Rp 35.3K
-22.34%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 NOK 21.70
$2.31 Rp 41.4K
-0.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.58 NOK 24.46
$1.06 Rp 19.1K
143.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 NOK 17.51
$0.73 Rp 13.1K
152.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.27 NOK 173
$3.28 Rp 58.8K
457.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.17 NOK 173
$22.79 Rp 408.4K
-20.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.91 NOK 27.65
$2.81 Rp 50.3K
3.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01 NOK 38.06
$2.78 Rp 49.9K
44.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Molde
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.31 NOK 40.89
$0.29 Rp 5,217
1386.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$82.8 NOK 786
$8.06 Rp 144.4K
927.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$10.18 NOK 96.6
$0.45 Rp 8,047
2162.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 NOK 13.10
$0.45 Rp 8,094
206.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$47.05 NOK 447
$6.24 Rp 111.7K
654.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.24 NOK 21.31
$0.85 Rp 15.2K
163.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.9K NOK 340.5K
$26.0K Rp 465.4M
38.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.0K NOK 370.5K
$31.7K Rp 567.2M
23.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Molde
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$241 NOK 2,291
$80.8 Rp 1.4M
198.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.92 NOK 360
$4.06 Rp 72.7K
833.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.6 NOK 518
$24.42 Rp 437.6K
123.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Molde
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.0 NOK 475
$97.7 Rp 1.7M
-48.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.26 NOK 335
$6.45 Rp 115.5K
446.67%
Cinema Ticket
$16.69 NOK 158
$4.04 Rp 72.4K
313.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Molde
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$200 NOK 1,901
$304 Rp 5.4M
-34.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.3K NOK 97.5K
$6,621 Rp 118.6M
55.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Molde
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.7 NOK 927
$54.2 Rp 971.7K
80.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.3 NOK 497
$38.78 Rp 694.7K
34.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 NOK 964
$86.1 Rp 1.5M
17.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$151 NOK 1,434
$76.7 Rp 1.4M
96.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Molde
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,174 NOK 11.1K
$986 Rp 17.7M
19.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$903 NOK 8,574
$658 Rp 11.8M
37.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,439 NOK 13.7K
$3,369 Rp 60.4M
-57.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,456 NOK 13.8K
$2,066 Rp 37.0M
-29.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,190 NOK 58.8K
$2,741 Rp 49.1M
125.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,482 NOK 42.5K
$2,228 Rp 39.9M
101.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Molde
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,624 NOK 34.4K
$163 Rp 2.9M
2117.57%
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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,174 in Molde and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Molde pays 2118% 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: $79.0 in Molde vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 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
Molde vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ubud, Bali cheaper than Molde?
Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Molde or Ubud, Bali?
Molde pays 2118% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Molde and Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,174 in Molde versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $200 in Molde versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Molde and Ubud, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Molde. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Molde or Ubud, Bali?
At $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,410 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.
Is Molde or Ubud, Bali more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Molde or Ubud, Bali?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Molde. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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