Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabah Al Salem and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabah Al Salem and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,432 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,446 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $2,348 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,460 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $3,327 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Sabah Al Salem costs about 5% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sabah Al Salem and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Sabah Al Salem by 5%, Ubud, Bali by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.32 KWD 2.55

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

141.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.6 KWD 21.98

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

97.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.25 KWD 2.84

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

62.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 KWD 0.97

Cappuccino

$6.62 KWD 2.03

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

147.94%

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

$0.48 KWD 0.15

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-72.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KWD 0.15

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

-44.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 KWD 0.61

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-42.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 KWD 0.65

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

91.89%

Eggs

$3.02 KWD 0.93

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

37.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 KWD 2.25

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

-58.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 KWD 1.65

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

31.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.15 KWD 3.12

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

-16.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 KWD 0.77

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

-32.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 KWD 0.57

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

16.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

-42.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 KWD 0.47

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

-21.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 KWD 0.40

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

-31.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 KWD 0.29

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-59.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

63.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KWD 0.15

$0.55 Rp 9,773

-12.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.01 KWD 0.93

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 KWD 0.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 KWD 0.86

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

25.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KWD 0.23

$0.27 Rp 4,814

177.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$115 KWD 35.24

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

1178.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 KWD 0.94

$0.48 Rp 8,566

535.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 KWD 1.07

$0.43 Rp 7,679

713.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.39 KWD 4.42

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

155.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

-58.75%

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

$21.8K KWD 6,696

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

-12.57%

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

$21.9K KWD 6,719

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

-30.98%

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

$39.29 KWD 12.06

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-51.77%

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

$24.66 KWD 7.57

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

279.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.81 KWD 11.92

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

106.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$128 KWD 39.36

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

125.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.17 KWD 12.02

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

109.13%

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 KWD 3.50

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

150.88%

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

$277 KWD 85.1

$481 Rp 8.5M

-42.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,546 KWD 2,317

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

32.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.94 KWD 11.65

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

-16.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.10 KWD 12.31

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

11.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 KWD 29.56

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

19.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 KWD 27.71

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

14.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$725 KWD 223

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

-34.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 KWD 170

$698 Rp 12.4M

-20.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,811 KWD 556

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-50.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 KWD 415

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-22.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,022 KWD 928

$168 Rp 3.0M

1698.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

13.78

-52.61%

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

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: September 15, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $725 in Sabah Al Salem versus $1,115 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 1699% higher in Sabah Al Salem, 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 $72.0 in Sabah Al Salem versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Sabah Al Salem vs $295 in Ubud, Bali – so Sabah Al Salem 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

Sabah Al Salem vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sabah Al Salem is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,148 per month in Sabah Al Salem and $2,052 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72.0 in Sabah Al Salem and $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,432 in Sabah Al Salem and $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,368, than in Sabah Al Salem at $1,432. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sabah Al Salem 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, Sabah Al Salem makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.