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: $1,360 in Shaab versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,273 in Shaab versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Shaab versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Shaab costs roughly 1% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Shaab is 1% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.13 KWD 4.03

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

294.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.1 KWD 19.96

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

81.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 KWD 2.65

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

53.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 KWD 0.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 KWD 1.52

Cappuccino

$5.40 KWD 1.65

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

91.49%

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

$0.70 KWD 0.21

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

-57.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 KWD 0.51

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

3.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 KWD 0.47

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-33.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 KWD 0.60

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

67.52%

Eggs

$2.06 KWD 0.63

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

-5.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.47 KWD 1.37

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-74.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 KWD 2.02

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

62.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 KWD 3.19

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

-14.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 KWD 0.75

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-32.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 KWD 0.57

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

12.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 KWD 0.56

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

-21.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

-23.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

-24.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 KWD 0.45

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-37.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 KWD 0.70

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

118.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 KWD 0.17

$0.54 Rp 9,560

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.15 KWD 0.96

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 KWD 0.86

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

22.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 KWD 0.26

$0.25 Rp 4,365

236.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.81 KWD 1.47

$0.49 Rp 8,631

881.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

$0.47 Rp 8,349

574.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.44 KWD 5.04

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

193.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

-59.26%

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

$21.1K KWD 6,484

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

-15.44%

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

$20.4K KWD 6,249

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

-34.39%

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

$65.7 KWD 20.16

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

-20.53%

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

$22.73 KWD 6.97

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

250.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.56 KWD 9.37

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

62.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 KWD 29.49

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

74.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 KWD 3.50

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

165.81%

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

$304 KWD 93.1

$494 Rp 8.7M

-38.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,545 KWD 2,927

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

61.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.16 KWD 11.70

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

-17.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.02 KWD 12.27

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

9.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 KWD 30.65

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

23.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 KWD 27.00

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

11.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 KWD 221

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-35.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$590 KWD 181

$693 Rp 12.2M

-14.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 KWD 536

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-51.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,326 KWD 407

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-22.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,181 KWD 975

$167 Rp 2.9M

1803.99%

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 Shaab: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $720 in Shaab and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shaab pays 1804% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Shaab vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $294, 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. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1804% higher in Shaab, 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: $720 in Shaab versus $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,360 per month in Shaab versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,360 in Shaab versus $1,378 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 1% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.