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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Salmiya vs $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,442 per month in Salmiya vs $2,334 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,264 per month in Salmiya vs $3,273 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Salmiya costs about 16% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Salmiya and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Salmiya by 18%, Ubud, Bali by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.51 KWD 2.93

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

182.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 KWD 14.90

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

25.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 KWD 2.57

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

51.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 KWD 0.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 KWD 0.81

Cappuccino

$5.08 KWD 1.57

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

92.42%

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

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

-73.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-55.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 KWD 0.51

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

5.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 KWD 0.22

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

-67.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 KWD 0.59

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

68.14%

Eggs

$2.06 KWD 0.64

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

-1.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 KWD 1.32

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

-75.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 KWD 2.11

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

76.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.14 KWD 3.13

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

-19.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 KWD 0.77

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

-31.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 KWD 0.59

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

23.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 KWD 0.56

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

-22.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

-24.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 KWD 0.41

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

-31.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-36.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 KWD 0.71

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

122.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KWD 0.14

$0.55 Rp 9,779

-14.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.93 KWD 0.29

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 KWD 0.87

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

25.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 KWD 0.35

$0.27 Rp 4,802

325.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.77 KWD 14.74

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

451.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 KWD 1.01

$0.48 Rp 8,489

581.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.30 KWD 1.02

$0.45 Rp 7,863

633.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.49 KWD 3.24

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

83.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

-56.58%

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

$19.4K KWD 6,000

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

-20.56%

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

$20.5K KWD 6,340

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

-36.03%

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

$49.47 KWD 15.26

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

-40.79%

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

$22.42 KWD 6.92

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

247.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 KWD 9.16

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

56.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$155 KWD 47.83

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

177.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.08 KWD 4.96

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

-13.64%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 KWD 3.55

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

169.16%

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

$299 KWD 92.2

$487 Rp 8.6M

-38.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,556 KWD 2,331

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

29.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.25 KWD 11.80

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

-16.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.73 KWD 12.26

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

9.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 KWD 30.89

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

22.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 KWD 27.28

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

10.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 KWD 330

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

-4.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 KWD 256

$701 Rp 12.4M

18.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,474 KWD 763

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

-30.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,330 KWD 410

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

-24.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,114 KWD 652

$170 Rp 3.0M

1145.40%

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: September 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Salmiya 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 1145% 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $178 in Salmiya vs $293 in Ubud, Bali – so Salmiya 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,621 in Salmiya, $1,396 in Ubud, Bali – roughly 16% apart. Salmiya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,431 per month in Salmiya 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Salmiya and $39.00 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 $1,621 in Salmiya and $1,396 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 $1,396, than in Salmiya at $1,621. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salmiya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,396 in Ubud, Bali to $1,621 in Salmiya. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Salmiya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.