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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,322 in Muscat versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,928 in Muscat versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Muscat versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Muscat costs roughly 6% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Muscat is 1% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

53.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.50 OMR 9.82

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

-21.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 OMR 3.08

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

65.08%

Cappuccino

$4.86 OMR 1.87

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

76.73%

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

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-26.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

-54.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.41 OMR 4.78

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

315.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.66 OMR 4.49

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

202.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

13.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.66

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

45.30%

Eggs

$2.42 OMR 0.93

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

-0.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.71 OMR 1.43

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

-74.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 OMR 1.88

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

12.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 OMR 3.18

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

-30.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 OMR 0.97

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

-32.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

5.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

-35.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

-49.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

-46.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

-57.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 OMR 2.42

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

90.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 OMR 6.05

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

-32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 OMR 1.68

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

57.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 OMR 3.09

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

193.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$0.27 Rp 4,778

370.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 OMR 24.26

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

677.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$0.48 Rp 8,659

558.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$0.42 Rp 7,532

90.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 OMR 3.92

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

63.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

-20.99%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,654

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

-15.51%

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

$21.5K OMR 8,279

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

-33.18%

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

$109 OMR 41.78

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

38.56%

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

$40.41 OMR 15.55

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

892.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 OMR 26.38

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

181.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.75 OMR 18.76

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-50.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 OMR 8.94

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

266.40%

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 OMR 3.96

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

157.64%

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

$190 OMR 73.0

$305 Rp 5.5M

-37.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K OMR 3,861

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

51.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 OMR 19.62

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

-5.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.14 OMR 15.07

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

3.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 OMR 29.87

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-10.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 OMR 33.72

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

14.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 OMR 237

$992 Rp 17.8M

-37.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 OMR 157

$673 Rp 12.1M

-39.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 OMR 478

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

-63.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 OMR 275

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-65.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 OMR 1,103

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

2.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,593 OMR 613

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

-28.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,576 OMR 607

$167 Rp 3.0M

844.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

13.28

-61.22%

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

Last update for Muscat: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Muscat and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muscat pays 844% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Muscat vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $297 per month, with Muscat 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

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

Muscat and Ubud, Bali differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,322 vs $1,408 including rent). Muscat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 844% higher in Muscat, 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: $616 in Muscat versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Muscat – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,322 per month in Muscat versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,322 in Muscat versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Muscat but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Muscat 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, Muscat 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 Muscat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.