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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $867 in Penang versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,368 in Penang versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,870 in Penang versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Penang costs roughly 38% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Penang is 35% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 MYR 12.56

$3.57 Rp 64.3K

-13.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.63 MYR 88.3

$32.32 Rp 581.4K

-33.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 MYR 16.95

$5.01 Rp 90.1K

-17.17%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.12

$2.82 Rp 50.8K

5.32%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$1.35 Rp 24.3K

-45.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.37

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

-54.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 MYR 17.51

$2.93 Rp 52.8K

46.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MYR 18.18

$3.94 Rp 70.8K

12.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.69

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

5.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.22

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

-57.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MYR 8.40

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

79.13%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.66

$2.41 Rp 43.4K

-12.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.00 MYR 69.4

$14.33 Rp 257.8K

18.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 MYR 21.18

$4.19 Rp 75.3K

23.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 MYR 60.9

$12.06 Rp 216.9K

23.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.88

$3.64 Rp 65.4K

-20.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

-7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.88

$2.79 Rp 50.1K

-4.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MYR 8.59

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

-6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.62

$1.98 Rp 35.6K

-42.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$2.28 Rp 41.0K

-47.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.62

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

-15.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-39.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.11

$3.19 Rp 57.4K

31.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.28 MYR 78.7

$23.49 Rp 422.6K

-17.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MYR 10.83

$2.90 Rp 52.1K

-8.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MYR 13.88

$2.76 Rp 49.6K

23.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$0.27 Rp 4,796

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.76 MYR 72.5

$8.37 Rp 150.5K

112.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MYR 3.03

$0.45 Rp 8,138

64.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.06

$0.46 Rp 8,269

10.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 MYR 28.18

$6.07 Rp 109.2K

13.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

-41.86%

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

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

$26.6K Rp 478.3M

28.17%

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

$27.3K MYR 111.7K

$32.5K Rp 585.6M

-15.99%

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

$39.05 MYR 159

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-50.58%

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

$10.17 MYR 41.54

$4.09 Rp 73.6K

148.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 MYR 129

$23.85 Rp 429.0K

32.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.40 MYR 132

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-67.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.53 MYR 22.59

$6.35 Rp 114.3K

-12.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.62

$4.01 Rp 72.1K

19.95%

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

$240 MYR 978

$297 Rp 5.3M

-19.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,182 MYR 25.2K

$6,602 Rp 118.8M

-6.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 MYR 226

$53.4 Rp 961.1K

3.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 MYR 119

$38.11 Rp 685.7K

-23.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.1 MYR 249

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-31.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 MYR 215

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

-31.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,558

$1,020 Rp 18.3M

-62.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MYR 920

$680 Rp 12.2M

-66.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MYR 2,596

$3,469 Rp 62.4M

-81.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 MYR 2,131

$2,090 Rp 37.6M

-75.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 MYR 8,996

$2,729 Rp 49.1M

-19.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 MYR 4,735

$2,295 Rp 41.3M

-49.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$942 MYR 3,845

$164 Rp 2.9M

475.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

13.28

-68.67%

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

Last update for Penang: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $382 in Penang and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 475% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22.00 in Penang vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $298 per month, with Penang 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

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

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 475% higher in Penang, 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: $382 in Penang versus $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Penang – a meal for two runs $22.00 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 $867 per month in Penang versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $867 in Penang versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Penang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Penang 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 Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.