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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $968 in Nilai versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Nilai versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,892 in Nilai versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Nilai costs roughly 29% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nilai is 29% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.69

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

4.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.73 MYR 80.5

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

-45.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.05 MYR 24.69

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

5.95%

Cappuccino

$3.49 MYR 14.27

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

30.71%

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

$0.83 MYR 3.38

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-52.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MYR 1.56

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

-56.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 MYR 14.85

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

23.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 MYR 17.88

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

-3.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.51

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

13.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.59

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-41.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.16

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

36.04%

Eggs

$1.96 MYR 8.00

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

-10.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.44 MYR 54.9

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

-24.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 MYR 17.88

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

6.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 MYR 38.80

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

-22.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 MYR 12.87

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

-15.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.85

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.14

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

8.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 MYR 6.53

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

-17.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.13

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

-34.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.70

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-50.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 MYR 4.87

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

17.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$0.55 Rp 9,773

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 MYR 15.79

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

73.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.30 MYR 78.8

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

-16.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 MYR 10.14

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

2.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MYR 16.24

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

32.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 MYR 3.23

$0.27 Rp 4,814

192.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.32

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

29.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 MYR 5.57

$0.48 Rp 8,566

183.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 MYR 1.85

$0.43 Rp 7,679

4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.36 MYR 30.03

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

30.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

-3.75%

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

$48.0K MYR 195.8K

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

92.27%

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

$32.5K MYR 132.6K

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

2.39%

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

$49.46 MYR 202

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-39.28%

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

$9.59 MYR 39.13

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

47.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.01 MYR 118

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

54.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.15 MYR 188

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-18.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.28 MYR 29.70

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

-61.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 MYR 17.77

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

-4.19%

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

$166 MYR 676

$481 Rp 8.5M

-65.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,126 MYR 20.9K

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

-10.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.1 MYR 274

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

47.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.73 MYR 121

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

-17.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 MYR 342

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

4.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 MYR 325

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

1.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 MYR 1,713

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

-62.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 MYR 1,268

$698 Rp 12.4M

-55.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$691 MYR 2,822

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-80.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 MYR 2,005

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-71.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,866 MYR 7,619

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

-32.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,265 MYR 5,166

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

-44.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,423 MYR 5,811

$168 Rp 3.0M

747.27%

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 Nilai: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $420 in Nilai and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nilai pays 747% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Nilai vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $295 per month, with Nilai 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

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

Nilai wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nilai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 747% higher in Nilai, 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: $420 in Nilai versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $968 per month in Nilai versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nilai runs roughly 29% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $968 in Nilai versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nilai but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Nilai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nilai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $968 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nilai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Nilai 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 Nilai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.