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: $1,000 in Muar versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,508 in Muar versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,016 in Muar versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Muar costs roughly 28% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Muar is 25% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.65 MYR 10.82

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

-25.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.99 MYR 98.0

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

-25.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.23 MYR 13.19

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

-35.53%

Cappuccino

$2.32 MYR 9.48

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

-17.73%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.00

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-45.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

-50.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 17.53

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

46.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 MYR 22.03

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

36.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.55

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

3.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.40

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

-55.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.06

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

28.70%

Eggs

$1.89 MYR 7.74

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

-21.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.49 MYR 91.9

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

56.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 MYR 20.33

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

18.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.67 MYR 43.60

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

-11.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 MYR 15.97

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

7.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.06

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

10.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 MYR 13.52

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

18.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 MYR 10.37

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

13.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.96

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

-14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

-56.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.42

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.12

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-34.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.96

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

30.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.56 MYR 75.9

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

-20.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.33 MYR 17.71

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

49.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 MYR 22.18

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

96.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$0.27 Rp 4,821

174.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.87 MYR 48.53

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

41.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.75

$0.45 Rp 8,180

157.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 MYR 4.46

$0.46 Rp 8,311

136.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 MYR 17.92

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

-27.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.06

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

-41.86%

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

$44.3K MYR 181.1K

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

66.66%

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

$31.4K MYR 128.4K

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

-3.45%

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

$74.5 MYR 304

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-5.75%

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

$9.92 MYR 40.53

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

142.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.49 MYR 116

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

19.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.05 MYR 151

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-62.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.93 MYR 24.24

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

-6.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 MYR 23.04

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

40.65%

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

$116 MYR 476

$297 Rp 5.4M

-60.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,285 MYR 17.5K

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

-35.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 MYR 444

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

103.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.51 MYR 112

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

-27.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 MYR 312

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-13.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 MYR 325

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

3.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 MYR 1,592

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-61.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,111

$680 Rp 12.3M

-60.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 MYR 2,640

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

-81.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,908

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

-77.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,950 MYR 7,971

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

-28.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,129 MYR 4,613

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

-50.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 MYR 2,486

$164 Rp 3.0M

271.55%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $389 in Muar and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muar pays 272% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Muar vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $310 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 39% in total monthly costs ($1,000 vs $1,392 including rent). Muar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 272% higher in Muar, 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: $389 in Muar versus $1,020 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 42% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $116 in Muar versus $297 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,000 in Muar versus $1,392 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 39% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.