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: $1,525 in Muscat versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,272 in Muscat versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,019 in Muscat versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Muscat is roughly 9% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Muscat 11% above, Ubud, Bali 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 OMR 2.06

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

58.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 OMR 13.09

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

-11.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 OMR 2.98

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

40.22%

Cappuccino

$4.73 OMR 1.82

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

79.17%

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

$0.86 OMR 0.33

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

-48.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 OMR 0.11

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-62.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.07 OMR 5.03

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

396.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.79 OMR 4.92

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

198.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 OMR 0.87

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

45.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

-43.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

68.14%

Eggs

$2.94 OMR 1.13

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

40.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 OMR 2.94

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

-56.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 OMR 2.53

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

69.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 OMR 4.06

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

-16.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 OMR 1.31

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

-5.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

28.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 OMR 0.89

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

-1.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

-41.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

-35.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

-44.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 OMR 0.69

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

74.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 OMR 0.26

$0.55 Rp 9,809

21.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 OMR 2.43

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

180.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 OMR 5.94

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

-35.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.68 OMR 2.19

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

145.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.72 OMR 3.36

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

211.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 OMR 0.49

$0.27 Rp 4,816

377.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.7 OMR 29.52

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

785.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$0.48 Rp 8,515

568.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 OMR 1.00

$0.45 Rp 7,887

475.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 OMR 3.01

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

36.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 OMR 0.23

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

-19.74%

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

$25.1K OMR 9,665

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

2.54%

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

$22.2K OMR 8,564

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

-30.75%

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

$170 OMR 65.5

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

103.46%

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

$30.94 OMR 11.91

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

378.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 OMR 26.92

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

268.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.7 OMR 24.14

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

12.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 OMR 11.24

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

56.82%

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

141.59%

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

$289 OMR 111

$487 Rp 8.6M

-40.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K OMR 4,110

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

82.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 OMR 21.42

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

22.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.19 OMR 16.63

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

18.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 OMR 35.43

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

12.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 OMR 36.95

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

19.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 OMR 259

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

-39.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 OMR 175

$701 Rp 12.4M

-35.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 OMR 526

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

-61.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 OMR 330

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

-51.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,835 OMR 1,092

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

0.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,595 OMR 614

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

-30.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 OMR 639

$170 Rp 3.0M

877.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

13.78

-61.90%

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

Last update for Muscat: September 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $673 in Muscat and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muscat pays 878% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in Muscat vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $293 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 9% in total monthly costs ($1,525 vs $1,396 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 878% 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: $673 in Muscat versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $34.00 in Muscat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,525 per month in Muscat versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,525 in Muscat, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.