Cost of Living Comparison Between Ras al-Khaimah and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Ras al-Khaimah and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,948 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,021 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,540 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,093 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $3,660 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah costs about 37% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ras al-Khaimah and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Ras al-Khaimah by 45%, Ubud, Bali by 6%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.55 AED 49.77

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

280.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.69 AED 183

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

51.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 AED 24.26

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

33.54%

Cappuccino

$5.63 AED 20.67

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

107.75%

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

$1.32 AED 4.83

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-1.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 AED 2.49

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 AED 40.37

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

276.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.23 AED 37.59

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

158.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 AED 6.00

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 AED 5.39

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-41.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 AED 6.31

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

48.28%

Eggs

$2.31 AED 8.49

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

-6.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 AED 47.33

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-12.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 AED 28.02

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

76.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.03 AED 55.2

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

23.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 AED 8.13

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-42.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 AED 6.61

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.50

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

-47.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.62

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-45.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 AED 3.53

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-49.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.67

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 AED 6.45

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

74.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 AED 1.83

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-35.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 AED 23.68

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

94.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 AED 49.77

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-42.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 AED 9.70

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

-5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 AED 10.56

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

0.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 AED 8.61

$0.27 Rp 4,800

766.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 AED 231

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

684.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 AED 5.35

$0.46 Rp 8,150

217.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 AED 3.45

$0.45 Rp 8,037

108.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 AED 30.78

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

37.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.76

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-5.06%

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

$44.9K AED 164.8K

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

71.57%

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

$22.8K AED 83.8K

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-28.95%

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

$148 AED 544

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

85.28%

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

$44.24 AED 162

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

989.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.6 AED 366

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

323.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 AED 207

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-43.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.33 AED 148

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

508.30%

Cinema Ticket

$13.35 AED 49.02

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

221.69%

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

$244 AED 895

$304 Rp 5.4M

-19.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 AED 18.7K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

-23.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 AED 426

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

108.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 AED 196

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

39.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AED 503

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

54.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 AED 500

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

74.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 AED 2,644

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-28.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$765 AED 2,810

$675 Rp 12.1M

13.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 AED 7,241

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-42.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 AED 5,599

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-25.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,839 AED 17.8K

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

70.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,944 AED 7,139

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

-14.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,605 AED 5,896

$165 Rp 3.0M

871.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

13.28

-63.25%

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

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $720 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 871% higher in Ras al-Khaimah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Ras al-Khaimah vs $302 in Ubud, Bali – so Ras al-Khaimah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Ras al-Khaimah vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ras al-Khaimah is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,922 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $2,129 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Ras al-Khaimah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Ras al-Khaimah and $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,419, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,948. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ras al-Khaimah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ras al-Khaimah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.