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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,758 in Riyadh versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,475 in Riyadh versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,192 in Riyadh versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 25% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Riyadh 32% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.75

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

137.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

66.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

64.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.93

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

44.73%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

-44.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

-58.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

-2.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

-45.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

101.71%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

10.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

-41.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

127.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

21.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

-37.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

6.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

-31.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

-29.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

-34.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

-35.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

34.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-27.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

125.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.27 Rp 4,786

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

354.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$0.48 Rp 8,675

570.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$0.42 Rp 7,545

338.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

112.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

-20.99%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

31.84%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

-27.17%

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

$106 SAR 398

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

35.12%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

763.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

216.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

7.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

844.95%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

306.52%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$305 Rp 5.5M

52.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

43.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

7.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

72.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

26.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

31.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$992 Rp 17.8M

11.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$673 Rp 12.1M

25.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,607

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

-39.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-45.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

3.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

-12.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$167 Rp 3.0M

1110.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

13.28

-60.02%

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

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,110 in Riyadh and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 1110% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Riyadh vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $297, with Riyadh cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Riyadh and Ubud, Bali differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,758 vs $1,408 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1110% higher in Riyadh, 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: $1,110 in Riyadh versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,758 per month in Riyadh versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 355% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,758 in Riyadh, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Riyadh 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.