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: $1,029 in Selangor versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,494 in Selangor versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,960 in Selangor versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Selangor costs roughly 26% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Selangor is 25% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 MYR 17.76

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

30.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.22 MYR 81.8

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

-47.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 MYR 16.43

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

-26.45%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MYR 9.06

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

-15.15%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

-49.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.73

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

-44.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.50 MYR 18.19

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

71.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 MYR 20.09

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

16.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.62

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

21.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.02

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

31.86%

Eggs

$2.01 MYR 8.14

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

-3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.12 MYR 65.2

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

-7.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 MYR 19.79

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

26.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 MYR 40.10

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

-20.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.58

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

-7.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

17.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 MYR 9.51

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.69

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

-19.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.41

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

-29.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.24

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

-55.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.74

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

13.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.36

$0.55 Rp 9,854

5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 MYR 18.46

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

103.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.08 MYR 77.2

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

-19.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.69

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

46.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.49

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

81.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 MYR 5.07

$0.27 Rp 4,839

362.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.60 MYR 50.9

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

45.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.95

$0.48 Rp 8,554

154.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$0.45 Rp 7,924

180.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MYR 18.05

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

-21.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 MYR 2.77

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

-9.21%

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

$42.9K MYR 173.5K

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

75.28%

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

$35.5K MYR 143.5K

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

10.49%

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

$65.6 MYR 265

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

-21.54%

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

$9.42 MYR 38.10

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

45.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.41 MYR 107

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

39.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.52 MYR 164

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

-27.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.09 MYR 28.68

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

-61.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 MYR 21.96

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

26.87%

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

$123 MYR 499

$487 Rp 8.6M

-74.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,417 MYR 30.0K

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

26.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 MYR 288

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

56.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.00 MYR 174

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

18.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 MYR 319

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

-3.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 MYR 333

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

2.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MYR 2,057

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

-54.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MYR 1,405

$701 Rp 12.5M

-50.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 MYR 3,685

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

-74.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 MYR 1,977

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

-72.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,618 MYR 6,540

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

-42.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$711 MYR 2,874

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

-68.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,060 MYR 4,285

$170 Rp 3.0M

524.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

13.78

-71.26%

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

Last update for Selangor: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $509 in Selangor and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Selangor pays 524% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Selangor vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $293 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 36% in total monthly costs ($1,029 vs $1,396 including rent). Selangor is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 524% 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: $509 in Selangor versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% 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 $20.00 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,029 in Selangor versus $1,396 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 36% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.