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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $999 in Selangor versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,432 in Selangor versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,865 in Selangor versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Selangor costs roughly 29% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Selangor is 25% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.55 MYR 10.42

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

-26.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.88 MYR 97.7

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

-26.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.73 MYR 15.26

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

-22.93%

Cappuccino

$2.30 MYR 9.40

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

-16.36%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.17

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-44.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

-52.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 MYR 17.27

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

41.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 MYR 22.00

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

39.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.39

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

4.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.15

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

-58.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.12

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

28.21%

Eggs

$1.88 MYR 7.70

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

-22.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 MYR 58.8

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

-0.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 MYR 19.14

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

7.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.88 MYR 40.41

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

-17.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MYR 12.27

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

-19.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.40

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

-4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 MYR 11.18

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

-0.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.94

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

-35.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.22

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MYR 4.11

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

-55.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.63

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

6.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.10

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-29.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.71

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

31.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.24 MYR 78.7

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

-17.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 MYR 13.68

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

20.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 MYR 17.41

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

56.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.80

$0.27 Rp 4,778

151.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.85 MYR 48.46

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

46.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.75

$0.48 Rp 8,659

141.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.51

$0.42 Rp 7,532

161.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.35 MYR 17.77

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

-30.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

-38.27%

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

$40.5K MYR 165.5K

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

52.02%

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

$30.8K MYR 125.9K

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

-4.37%

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

$64.9 MYR 265

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-17.19%

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

$9.99 MYR 40.88

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

145.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.88 MYR 106

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

6.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.38 MYR 157

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-61.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 MYR 29.74

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

14.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 MYR 21.13

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

29.57%

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

$116 MYR 476

$305 Rp 5.5M

-61.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,342 MYR 17.8K

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

-34.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 MYR 249

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

12.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.78 MYR 150

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

-2.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 MYR 306

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-13.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 MYR 322

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

3.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 MYR 1,838

$992 Rp 17.8M

-54.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 MYR 1,437

$673 Rp 12.1M

-47.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 MYR 3,413

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

-75.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 MYR 1,930

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-76.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,583 MYR 6,473

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

-43.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$707 MYR 2,891

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

-68.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MYR 4,284

$167 Rp 3.0M

527.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

13.28

-70.18%

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

Last update for Selangor: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Selangor and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Selangor pays 527% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Selangor vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $297 per month, with Selangor cheaper across the board.

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

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

Selangor and Ubud, Bali differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($999 vs $1,408 including rent). Selangor is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 527% higher in Selangor, 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: $449 in Selangor versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Selangor – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $999 in Selangor versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Selangor but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Selangor 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, Selangor 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 Selangor gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.