Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Salmiya and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,353 a month against $1,633 in Salmiya, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Salmiya
🇰🇼 Kuwait
$1,633
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,353
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Salmiya and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Salmiya and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,633 per month in Salmiya vs $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Salmiya $1,633
  • Ubud, Bali $1,353

A couple spends around $2,420 per month in Salmiya vs $2,297 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Salmiya $2,420
  • Ubud, Bali $2,297

A family of three spends $3,208 per month in Salmiya vs $3,241 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Salmiya $3,208
  • Ubud, Bali $3,241

Salmiya costs about 21% more than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Salmiya and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Salmiya by 21%, Ubud, Bali by 0%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Salmiya
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.53 KWD 2.94
$3.23 Rp 58.1K
195.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.53 KWD 14.64
$34.88 Rp 627.8K
36.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.19 KWD 2.52
$5.70 Rp 102.5K
43.68%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.34 KWD 0.72
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55 KWD 0.78
-
-
Cappuccino
$5.16 KWD 1.59
$2.62 Rp 47.1K
96.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 KWD 0.14
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
-73.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 KWD 0.10
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
-61.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Salmiya
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 KWD 0.49
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
1.27%
White Bread (500g)
$0.67 KWD 0.21
$2.19 Rp 39.5K
-69.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.98 KWD 0.61
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
67.80%
Eggs
$2.06 KWD 0.63
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
-4.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.34 KWD 1.34
$17.65 Rp 317.7K
-75.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.76 KWD 2.08
$3.78 Rp 68.0K
78.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.27 KWD 3.17
$11.95 Rp 215.1K
-14.06%
Apples (1kg)
$2.51 KWD 0.77
$3.60 Rp 64.8K
-30.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 KWD 0.60
$1.59 Rp 28.6K
22.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.72 KWD 0.53
$2.31 Rp 41.6K
-25.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 KWD 0.48
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
-18.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.35 KWD 0.42
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
-24.16%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 KWD 0.46
$2.33 Rp 41.9K
-36.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.33 KWD 0.72
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
133.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47 KWD 0.14
$0.53 Rp 9,509
-11.32%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$0.94 KWD 0.29
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 KWD 0.32
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 KWD 0.42
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.79 KWD 0.86
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
21.83%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$22.07 Rp 397.3K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.98 Rp 53.6K
-
🚌 Getting Around
Salmiya
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.11 KWD 0.34
$0.23 Rp 4,112
382.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$48.63 KWD 14.98
$8.90 Rp 160.2K
446.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 KWD 1.00
$0.47 Rp 8,466
593.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.23 KWD 1.00
$0.43 Rp 7,737
651.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.32 KWD 3.18
$5.47 Rp 98.4K
88.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.33 KWD 0.10
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
-60.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.5K KWD 7,253
$23.9K Rp 429.8M
-1.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.7K KWD 6,063
$32.8K Rp 590.1M
-39.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Salmiya
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$48.23 KWD 14.86
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
-39.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71 KWD 7.00
$6.56 Rp 118.1K
246.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.34 KWD 9.35
$18.60 Rp 334.8K
63.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Salmiya
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$149 KWD 45.89
$54.1 Rp 974.1K
175.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.79 KWD 4.87
$18.28 Rp 329.0K
-13.62%
Cinema Ticket
$11.47 KWD 3.53
$4.25 Rp 76.5K
169.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Salmiya
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$303 KWD 93.5
$493 Rp 8.9M
-38.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,426 KWD 2,288
$5,597 Rp 100.7M
32.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Salmiya
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.43 KWD 11.53
$45.58 Rp 820.4K
-17.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.08 KWD 12.35
$34.96 Rp 629.4K
14.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.4 KWD 30.00
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
25.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.8 KWD 27.35
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
13.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Salmiya
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,069 KWD 329
$1,131 Rp 20.4M
-5.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$826 KWD 254
$673 Rp 12.1M
22.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,370 KWD 730
$3,613 Rp 65.0M
-34.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,302 KWD 401
$1,702 Rp 30.6M
-23.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,717 Rp 48.9M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Salmiya
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,169 KWD 668
$166 Rp 3.0M
1203.92%
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 Salmiya: October 17, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Salmiya
$826
Ubud, Bali
$673 18.5% $153
Groceries & Markets
Salmiya
$177
Ubud, Bali
$287 62% $110
Sport & Entertainment
Salmiya
$172
Ubud, Bali
$63 63.6% $109
Eating Out
Salmiya
$166
Ubud, Bali
$106 35.8% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Salmiya
$119
Ubud, Bali
$107 10.2% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Salmiya
$101
Ubud, Bali
$105 3.8% $3.9
Getting Around
Salmiya
$72
Ubud, Bali
$12 82.9% $60

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Salmiya versus $1,131 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 1204% higher in Salmiya, 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 $48.00 in Salmiya versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in Salmiya vs $287 in Ubud, Bali – so Salmiya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇼 Salmiya
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
18:55 6:55 PM
23:55 11:55 PM
5 h ahead of Salmiya
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
309,960
74,800
💱 Currency
Kuwaiti Dinar KWD د.ك
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to KWD – Kuwaiti Dinar Converter

Kuwaiti Dinar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.308 KWD (1 KWD = 3.25 USD). 1 EUR = 0.346 KWD (1 KWD = 2.89 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Salmiya Ubud, Bali 8,320 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Salmiya
  • Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Salmiya vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Salmiya and in Ubud, Bali compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,633 in Salmiya, $1,353 in Ubud, Bali – roughly 21% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Salmiya compared to Ubud, Bali?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,449 per month in Salmiya and $2,030 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Salmiya and Ubud, Bali?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Salmiya and $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Salmiya or Ubud, Bali?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,633 in Salmiya and $1,353 in Ubud, Bali. That's a gap of about 21%.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,353, than in Salmiya at $1,633. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salmiya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Salmiya and Ubud, Bali?
It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,353 in Ubud, Bali to $1,633 in Salmiya. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Salmiya or Ubud, Bali safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Salmiya and Ubud, Bali?
If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Salmiya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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