Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Selangor and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Selangor: $1,020 a month against $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ubud, Bali outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Selangor
🇲🇾 Malaysia
$1,020
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,368
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Selangor 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 Selangor and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,020 in Selangor versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Selangor $1,020
  • Ubud, Bali $1,368

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,469 in Selangor versus $2,314 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Selangor $1,469
  • Ubud, Bali $2,314

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,918 in Selangor versus $3,260 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Selangor $1,918
  • Ubud, Bali $3,260

Living in Selangor costs roughly 25% less than in Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Selangor is 24% below, Ubud, Bali is 1% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Selangor
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.33 MYR 17.67
$3.33 Rp 59.9K
30.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.20 MYR 78.3
$35.18 Rp 633.2K
-45.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.04 MYR 16.46
$5.80 Rp 104.5K
-30.34%
Cappuccino
$2.26 MYR 9.23
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
-17.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MYR 3.18
$1.64 Rp 29.5K
-52.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 MYR 1.93
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
-43.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.43 MYR 18.08
$2.70 Rp 48.6K
64.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.96 MYR 20.24
$4.30 Rp 77.4K
15.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Selangor
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.93 MYR 7.87
$1.50 Rp 27.1K
28.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.05 MYR 4.30
$2.30 Rp 41.4K
-54.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 MYR 6.25
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
29.66%
Eggs
$1.92 MYR 7.82
$2.14 Rp 38.6K
-10.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.26 MYR 58.2
$17.48 Rp 314.6K
-18.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.36 MYR 17.78
$4.03 Rp 72.5K
8.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.60 MYR 39.16
$12.23 Rp 220.1K
-21.50%
Apples (1kg)
$3.44 MYR 14.04
$3.55 Rp 63.9K
-3.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.84 MYR 7.52
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
17.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.34 MYR 9.55
$2.24 Rp 40.2K
4.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 MYR 6.49
$1.93 Rp 34.7K
-17.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 MYR 5.45
$1.88 Rp 33.9K
-28.72%
Onion (1kg)
$1.03 MYR 4.21
$2.29 Rp 41.3K
-55.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.11 MYR 4.52
$0.99 Rp 17.9K
12.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 MYR 2.19
$0.53 Rp 9,475
1.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.50 MYR 18.35
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
97.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.53 MYR 79.7
$23.01 Rp 414.2K
-15.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.59 MYR 14.64
$2.34 Rp 42.2K
53.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.86 MYR 19.81
$2.91 Rp 52.4K
67.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Selangor
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.19 MYR 4.87
$0.24 Rp 4,315
395.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.26 MYR 50.0
$8.82 Rp 158.7K
39.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.24 MYR 5.06
$0.48 Rp 8,684
158.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.25 MYR 5.10
$0.46 Rp 8,233
171.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.34 MYR 17.72
$5.45 Rp 98.2K
-20.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.73 MYR 2.99
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
-17.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.9K MYR 171.0K
$24.6K Rp 442.2M
70.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.3K MYR 143.8K
$31.2K Rp 561.4M
13.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Selangor
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.4 MYR 258
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
-23.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.50 MYR 34.69
$6.45 Rp 116.0K
31.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.97 MYR 106
$18.57 Rp 334.2K
39.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Selangor
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.09 MYR 168
$55.8 Rp 1.0M
-26.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.87 MYR 28.04
$18.11 Rp 326.0K
-62.07%
Cinema Ticket
$5.05 MYR 20.59
$4.38 Rp 78.9K
15.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Selangor
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$122 MYR 499
$493 Rp 8.9M
-75.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,175 MYR 29.3K
$5,754 Rp 103.6M
24.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Selangor
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.8 MYR 289
$46.19 Rp 831.4K
53.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.40 MYR 169
$35.33 Rp 636.0K
17.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.1 MYR 315
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
-2.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.0 MYR 339
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
5.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Selangor
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$511 MYR 2,083
$1,142 Rp 20.6M
-55.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$346 MYR 1,413
$676 Rp 12.2M
-48.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$880 MYR 3,589
$3,503 Rp 63.1M
-74.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$481 MYR 1,963
$1,700 Rp 30.6M
-71.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,578 MYR 6,438
$2,784 Rp 50.1M
-43.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$705 MYR 2,875
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
-68.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Selangor
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,019 MYR 4,157
$165 Rp 3.0M
519.27%
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: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Selangor
$346
Ubud, Bali
$676 95.1% $329
Groceries & Markets
Selangor
$266
Ubud, Bali
$290 9.1% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Selangor
$123
Ubud, Bali
$108 12.2% $15
Eating Out
Selangor
$111
Ubud, Bali
$109 2% $2.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Selangor
$98
Ubud, Bali
$108 10.4% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Selangor
$51
Ubud, Bali
$65 26.2% $13
Getting Around
Selangor
$25
Ubud, Bali
$13 48.8% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Selangor and $1,142 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Selangor pays 519% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Selangor vs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $290 per month, with Selangor cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇾 Selangor
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
07:25 7:25 AM
07:25 7:25 AM
Same time as Selangor
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
281,717
74,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 18, 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
  • Selangor Ubud, Bali 2,040 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Selangor
  • 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
Selangor vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Selangor and in Ubud, Bali?
Selangor and Ubud, Bali differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,020 vs $1,368 including rent). Selangor is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Selangor or Ubud, Bali?
Average pay runs 519% higher in Selangor, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Selangor and in Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $511 in Selangor versus $1,142 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Selangor – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,020 in Selangor versus $1,368 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.
How does quality of life compare between Selangor and Ubud, Bali?
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.
Is Selangor or Ubud, Bali safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Selangor or Ubud, Bali?
Expats usually find Selangor gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Selangor vs other spots: cost of living compared

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