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: $1,070 in Muar versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,567 in Muar versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,064 in Muar versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Muar costs roughly 22% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Muar is 22% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 MYR 20.53

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

51.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.56 MYR 120

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

-17.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 MYR 16.42

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

-28.24%

Cappuccino

$3.23 MYR 13.14

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

14.54%

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

$0.87 MYR 3.54

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-50.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

-42.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 MYR 17.97

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

45.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 MYR 24.64

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

40.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 MYR 8.56

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

30.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.56

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-50.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 MYR 8.18

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

71.79%

Eggs

$2.59 MYR 10.54

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

19.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.69 MYR 63.8

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-11.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 MYR 19.49

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

18.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 MYR 39.35

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

-20.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 MYR 13.94

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-5.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.50

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

12.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 MYR 9.63

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

2.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 MYR 6.54

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

-17.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.36

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

-28.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.66

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-41.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

15.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MYR 3.05

$0.54 Rp 9,560

38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.61

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

88.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.37 MYR 78.8

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-16.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 MYR 13.95

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

46.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 MYR 19.81

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

58.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.11

$0.25 Rp 4,365

208.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.44 MYR 50.6

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

32.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.98

$0.49 Rp 8,631

148.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.04

$0.47 Rp 8,349

6.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 MYR 20.10

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

-11.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

-4.94%

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

$42.6K MYR 173.5K

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

70.51%

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

$35.7K MYR 145.4K

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

15.03%

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

$64.7 MYR 263

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

-21.78%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.34

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

41.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.92 MYR 105

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

37.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.05 MYR 167

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

-25.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.51 MYR 26.46

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

-64.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.44 MYR 22.12

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

26.51%

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

$304 MYR 1,237

$494 Rp 8.7M

-38.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,996 MYR 20.3K

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

-15.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 MYR 293

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

55.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.22 MYR 176

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

18.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 MYR 362

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

10.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.8 MYR 398

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

24.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 MYR 1,741

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-61.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 MYR 1,358

$693 Rp 12.2M

-51.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 MYR 2,829

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-80.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 MYR 2,000

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-71.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,032 MYR 8,268

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

-26.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,148 MYR 4,668

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

-49.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$609 MYR 2,478

$167 Rp 2.9M

264.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

13.78

-69.52%

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

Last update for Muar: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Muar and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muar pays 265% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Muar vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $294 per month, with Muar 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

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

Muar and Ubud, Bali differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,070 vs $1,378 including rent). Muar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 265% 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: $428 in Muar versus $1,114 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 32% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Muar versus $494 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,070 in Muar versus $1,378 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 29% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.