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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Shaab versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,321 in Shaab versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,263 in Shaab versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Shaab costs roughly 3% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Shaab 3% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.09 KWD 3.09

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

183.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 KWD 24.97

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

148.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 KWD 2.69

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

76.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 KWD 1.10

Cappuccino

$5.86 KWD 1.80

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

116.24%

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

$0.68 KWD 0.21

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-49.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KWD 0.12

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-45.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-11.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-50.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 KWD 0.53

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

49.14%

Eggs

$2.09 KWD 0.64

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

-15.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.17 KWD 1.58

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-64.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 KWD 2.02

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

52.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.23 KWD 3.14

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-15.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 KWD 0.76

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-35.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 KWD 0.58

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

20.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KWD 0.55

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

-36.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-35.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-35.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-42.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

59.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-42.31%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 KWD 0.92

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

-9.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 KWD 0.27

$0.27 Rp 4,800

233.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.00 KWD 13.80

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

460.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

$0.46 Rp 8,150

617.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

$0.45 Rp 8,037

624.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.30 KWD 5.00

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

167.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-54.43%

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

$21.3K KWD 6,525

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

-18.65%

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

$19.9K KWD 6,114

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-37.93%

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

$62.6 KWD 19.20

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-21.69%

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

$18.95 KWD 5.81

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

366.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.89 KWD 7.94

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

10.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.5 KWD 28.97

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-4.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.50 KWD 13.95

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

586.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 KWD 3.53

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

177.59%

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

$407 KWD 125

$304 Rp 5.4M

34.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,485 KWD 1,989

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

-1.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.61 KWD 13.07

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

-23.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.28 KWD 12.97

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

10.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 KWD 26.41

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-2.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.1 KWD 24.86

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

4.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 KWD 239

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-22.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 KWD 185

$675 Rp 12.1M

-10.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,547 KWD 474

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-55.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 KWD 389

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-37.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,219 KWD 987

$165 Rp 3.0M

1847.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

13.28

-46.23%

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

Last update for Shaab: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $779 in Shaab and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shaab pays 1848% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $81.0 in Shaab vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 vs $302, with Shaab cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Shaab is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Shaab pays 1848% more on average, 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: $779 in Shaab versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Shaab – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,378 in Shaab versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Shaab but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Shaab the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Shaab is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Shaab 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 Shaab gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.