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: $1,331 in Muscat versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,982 in Muscat versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,633 in Muscat versus $3,660 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 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

48.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.39 OMR 10.16

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

-19.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 OMR 3.02

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

58.38%

Cappuccino

$4.95 OMR 1.90

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

82.66%

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

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-23.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.16 OMR 4.68

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

316.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.87 OMR 4.57

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

199.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

10.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-52.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.65

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

46.55%

Eggs

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

-0.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-73.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 OMR 1.98

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

19.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 OMR 3.26

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-30.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-33.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

10.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

-37.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 OMR 0.44

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-51.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 OMR 0.38

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-47.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-53.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.22

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-28.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.22 OMR 2.39

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

87.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.55 OMR 5.99

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-34.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.25 OMR 1.64

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

52.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

176.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$0.27 Rp 4,800

370.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 OMR 23.99

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

675.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$0.46 Rp 8,150

586.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$0.45 Rp 8,037

77.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

69.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-24.05%

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

$22.8K OMR 8,778

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

-12.81%

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

$21.8K OMR 8,405

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-32.03%

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

$107 OMR 41.32

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

34.26%

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

$40.60 OMR 15.63

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

900.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

199.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 OMR 18.19

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-52.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 OMR 8.85

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

246.76%

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 OMR 4.03

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

152.29%

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

$192 OMR 74.1

$304 Rp 5.4M

-36.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,757 OMR 3,756

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

47.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 OMR 19.53

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

-8.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 OMR 15.21

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

3.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 OMR 30.56

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-10.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 OMR 34.66

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

15.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 OMR 238

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-38.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 OMR 158

$675 Rp 12.1M

-39.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 OMR 470

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-64.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 OMR 281

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-64.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,666 OMR 1,026

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

-6.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 OMR 597

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

-31.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,654 OMR 637

$165 Rp 3.0M

900.86%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Muscat and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muscat pays 901% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $302 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 7% in total monthly costs ($1,331 vs $1,419 including rent). Muscat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Muscat pays 901% 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: $619 in Muscat versus $1,006 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,331 per month in Muscat versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,331 in Muscat versus $1,419 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 7% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.