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 $1,943 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,976 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,585 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,008 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $3,763 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah costs about 38% 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 5%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.47 AED 49.46

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

290.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.37 AED 181

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

52.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 AED 25.56

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

43.80%

Cappuccino

$5.55 AED 20.37

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

101.82%

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

$1.32 AED 4.83

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 AED 2.63

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

-4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.87 AED 39.92

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

263.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.05 AED 36.91

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

161.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 AED 5.75

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-9.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 AED 5.32

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

-41.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 AED 6.24

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

45.30%

Eggs

$2.21 AED 8.11

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

-9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.84 AED 47.15

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

-11.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 AED 27.87

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

74.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 AED 56.1

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

27.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 AED 8.03

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

-41.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 AED 6.47

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

7.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 AED 5.54

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

-44.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 AED 4.80

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

-41.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 AED 3.55

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

-49.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 AED 3.80

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

-54.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 AED 6.60

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

69.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 AED 1.86

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-29.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 AED 23.10

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

91.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.51 AED 49.60

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

-41.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.67

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

-5.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 AED 10.87

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

8.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 AED 8.68

$0.27 Rp 4,765

774.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 AED 236

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

692.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 AED 5.65

$0.48 Rp 8,636

220.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 AED 3.41

$0.42 Rp 7,511

121.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.41 AED 30.90

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

35.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 AED 2.93

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

-1.23%

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

$46.3K AED 169.9K

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

73.83%

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

$22.4K AED 82.3K

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

-30.36%

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

$149 AED 549

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

90.68%

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

$45.04 AED 165

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

1006.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 371

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

315.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 AED 207

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-42.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.13 AED 151

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

548.74%

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 AED 49.35

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

236.84%

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

$248 AED 912

$305 Rp 5.5M

-18.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,208 AED 19.1K

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

-21.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 AED 430

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

116.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 AED 197

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

42.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AED 502

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

57.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 AED 498

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

77.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 AED 2,637

$992 Rp 17.7M

-27.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 AED 2,874

$673 Rp 12.0M

16.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 AED 7,322

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

-40.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 AED 5,554

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

-26.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,828 AED 17.7K

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

72.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 AED 7,217

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

-11.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,571 AED 5,770

$167 Rp 3.0M

841.06%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $718 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $992 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 841% 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 $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Ras al-Khaimah vs $297 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 38%, 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 $2,914 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $2,112 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 11% 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 $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah and $32.00 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 $1,408, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,943. 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.