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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $998 in Muar versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,503 in Muar versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,008 in Muar versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Muar costs roughly 31% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Muar is 25% below, Ubud, Bali is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.63 MYR 10.41

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

-26.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.17 MYR 91.5

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

-28.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.36 MYR 13.26

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

-33.73%

Cappuccino

$2.33 MYR 9.19

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

-17.67%

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

$0.78 MYR 3.09

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

-41.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.34

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

-50.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 MYR 16.44

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

39.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 MYR 21.78

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

43.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.53

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

9.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 MYR 4.45

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

-55.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.60

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

19.33%

Eggs

$1.90 MYR 7.52

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

-21.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.60 MYR 89.3

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

54.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 MYR 19.20

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

16.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.44 MYR 41.24

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

-12.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 MYR 15.40

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

5.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.74

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 MYR 13.05

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

22.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.00

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

8.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.73

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

-10.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

-52.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.28

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.19

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 MYR 16.64

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

34.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.68 MYR 73.8

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-20.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.26 MYR 16.82

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

55.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 MYR 22.34

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

96.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.69

$0.29 Rp 5,010

134.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.00 MYR 47.40

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

46.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 MYR 4.62

$0.45 Rp 7,834

160.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MYR 4.51

$0.42 Rp 7,278

171.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 MYR 17.09

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

-29.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.83

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

-45.24%

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

$42.9K MYR 169.3K

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

63.35%

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

$31.1K MYR 122.8K

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

-4.29%

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

$74.5 MYR 294

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-5.06%

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

$9.46 MYR 37.37

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

139.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.28 MYR 112

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

15.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.60 MYR 145

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-62.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 22.90

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

-8.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 MYR 22.42

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

40.59%

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

$118 MYR 464

$303 Rp 5.2M

-61.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,393 MYR 17.4K

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

-32.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 MYR 440

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

106.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.19 MYR 107

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

-28.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 MYR 299

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

-12.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 MYR 310

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-0.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,500

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

-62.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,047

$674 Rp 11.6M

-60.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 MYR 2,595

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-80.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 MYR 1,897

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

-77.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,635 MYR 6,460

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

-45.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$903 MYR 3,569

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

-61.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 MYR 2,548

$173 Rp 3.0M

272.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

13.28

-70.18%

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

Last update for Muar: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Muar and $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muar pays 273% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Muar vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $311 vs $298, with Ubud, Bali 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

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

Muar and Ubud, Bali differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($998 vs $1,438 including rent). Muar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Muar pays 273% 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: $380 in Muar versus $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Muar runs roughly 47% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $118 in Muar versus $303 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $998 in Muar versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Muar but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Muar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Muar 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 Muar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.