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 $1,745 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,761 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,334 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,777 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $3,273 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah costs about 25% 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 27%, Ubud, Bali by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.04 AED 44.22

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

257.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.52 AED 167

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

17.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 AED 27.45

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

35.51%

Cappuccino

$5.51 AED 20.24

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

108.71%

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

$1.11 AED 4.07

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

-33.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 AED 1.60

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.06 AED 36.94

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

282.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.78 AED 35.93

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

128.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 AED 6.29

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

10.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 AED 7.56

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

-7.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 AED 6.91

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

66.37%

Eggs

$2.42 AED 8.88

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

15.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.50 AED 45.90

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

-28.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 AED 35.56

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

150.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 AED 57.9

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

25.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 AED 7.30

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

-45.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 AED 5.85

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.51

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

-36.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 AED 4.93

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

-34.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 AED 3.56

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

-48.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 AED 3.38

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

-60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 AED 6.44

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

69.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 AED 1.75

$0.55 Rp 9,809

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.77 AED 24.87

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

200.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.66 AED 50.2

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

-42.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 AED 9.25

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 AED 10.49

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

2.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 AED 7.82

$0.27 Rp 4,816

688.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 AED 411

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

1193.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 AED 6.30

$0.48 Rp 8,515

258.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 AED 2.89

$0.45 Rp 7,887

75.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 AED 29.23

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

39.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 AED 3.26

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

17.11%

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

$46.3K AED 169.9K

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

88.97%

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

$21.8K AED 80.2K

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

-32.03%

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

$124 AED 456

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

48.73%

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

$45.14 AED 166

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

598.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 AED 292

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

319.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 AED 211

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

2.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.71 AED 150

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

118.64%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 AED 48.00

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

205.37%

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

$296 AED 1,086

$487 Rp 8.6M

-39.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,411 AED 16.2K

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

-24.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 AED 303

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

80.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 AED 192

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

43.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 AED 466

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

54.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 AED 422

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

42.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 AED 2,768

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

-32.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 AED 2,135

$701 Rp 12.4M

-17.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,642 AED 6,029

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

-53.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 AED 4,655

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

-28.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,911 AED 18.0K

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

73.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 AED 7,157

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

-14.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 AED 5,818

$170 Rp 3.0M

833.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.92

13.78

-64.30%

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

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $1,117 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 833% 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 $46.00 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $283 in Ras al-Khaimah vs $293 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 25%, 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 $2,617 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $2,095 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 3% 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 $46.00 in Ras al-Khaimah and $39.00 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 $1,396, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,745. 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.