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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,573 in Sharjah versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,253 in Sharjah versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,933 in Sharjah versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Sharjah is roughly 12% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sharjah 17% above, Ubud, Bali 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.36 AED 19.70

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

50.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.97 AED 121

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

1.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.06 AED 33.29

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

86.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.27 AED 34.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.64 AED 35.42

Cappuccino

$4.21 AED 15.48

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

53.09%

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

$1.01 AED 3.72

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-23.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 AED 1.28

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 AED 6.24

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 AED 4.36

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

-51.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 AED 7.50

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

70.00%

Eggs

$2.73 AED 10.04

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

11.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 AED 37.38

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

-29.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 AED 25.56

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

61.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 AED 31.08

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

-30.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 AED 6.73

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

-50.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 AED 5.42

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

-4.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 AED 5.48

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

-46.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 AED 4.51

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

-47.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 AED 3.71

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

-48.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 AED 4.46

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-47.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 AED 5.60

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

43.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 AED 2.35

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

-12.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.76 AED 57.9

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 AED 7.06

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 AED 12.56

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 AED 23.11

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

91.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 AED 5.88

$0.29 Rp 5,217

451.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.57 AED 153

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

415.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 AED 13.84

$0.45 Rp 8,047

737.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 AED 2.59

$0.45 Rp 8,094

57.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 AED 18.49

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

-19.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 AED 3.01

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

-3.53%

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

$45.1K AED 165.5K

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

73.42%

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

$22.1K AED 81.3K

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

-30.05%

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

$200 AED 734

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

147.33%

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

$65.9 AED 242

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

1522.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 AED 379

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

322.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.9 AED 231

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

-35.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.58 AED 138

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

482.64%

Cinema Ticket

$12.73 AED 46.75

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

215.10%

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

$275 AED 1,011

$304 Rp 5.4M

-9.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,018 AED 22.1K

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

-9.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 AED 189

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

-5.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$97.2 AED 357

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

150.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 AED 353

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

11.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 AED 295

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

4.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 AED 2,845

$986 Rp 17.7M

-21.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 AED 2,215

$658 Rp 11.8M

-8.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,613 AED 5,923

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

-52.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 AED 3,768

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

-50.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,277 AED 30.4K

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

201.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,688 AED 9,872

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

20.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,281 AED 8,377

$163 Rp 2.9M

1295.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

13.28

-66.72%

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

Last update for Sharjah: June 9, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $775 in Sharjah and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sharjah pays 1296% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Sharjah vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $297 per month, with Sharjah 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

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

Sharjah and Ubud, Bali differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,573 vs $1,404 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sharjah pays 1296% 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: $775 in Sharjah versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $1,573 per month in Sharjah versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,573 in Sharjah, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Sharjah. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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, Sharjah 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Sharjah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.