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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $884 in Sibu versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,308 in Sibu versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,733 in Sibu versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Sibu costs roughly 35% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sibu is 35% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 MYR 8.91

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

-36.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.54 MYR 79.8

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

-46.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.20 MYR 17.16

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

-26.44%

Cappuccino

$2.36 MYR 9.65

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

-11.61%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.73

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-61.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 MYR 0.98

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

-72.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 MYR 12.32

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 17.55

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

-4.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MYR 7.23

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

9.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-63.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.34

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

18.02%

Eggs

$1.97 MYR 8.06

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

-10.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.04 MYR 61.4

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

-14.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.22 MYR 17.22

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

2.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.14 MYR 41.40

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

-16.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 MYR 13.24

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

-12.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.53

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

15.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 11.18

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

20.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.13

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

-23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

-34.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-48.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.41

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

6.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.55 Rp 9,773

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 MYR 18.45

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

102.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.54 MYR 83.9

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

-10.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.23

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

23.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 MYR 14.93

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

22.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MYR 2.69

$0.27 Rp 4,814

144.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.00 MYR 57.2

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

55.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 MYR 5.33

$0.48 Rp 8,566

172.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.80

$0.43 Rp 7,679

2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.43 MYR 34.41

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

49.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.71

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

-17.50%

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

$36.0K MYR 146.9K

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

44.27%

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

$35.2K MYR 143.8K

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

11.05%

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

$49.25 MYR 201

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-39.54%

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

$7.19 MYR 29.34

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

10.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.77 MYR 109

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

42.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.76 MYR 113

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-51.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.44 MYR 26.30

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

-65.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.65 MYR 14.89

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

-19.60%

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

$180 MYR 735

$481 Rp 8.5M

-62.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,923 MYR 20.1K

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

-13.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 250

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

34.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.18 MYR 148

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

0.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 MYR 380

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

15.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 MYR 283

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

-11.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$416 MYR 1,696

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

-62.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 MYR 1,466

$698 Rp 12.4M

-48.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 MYR 3,201

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-78.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 MYR 1,832

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-74.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,916 MYR 7,822

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

-31.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,147 MYR 4,682

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

-49.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$499 MYR 2,037

$168 Rp 3.0M

197.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

13.78

-69.52%

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

Last update for Sibu: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $416 in Sibu and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sibu pays 197% 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 Sibu vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $295 per month, with Sibu 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

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

Sibu wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sibu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 197% higher in Sibu, 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: $416 in Sibu versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $884 per month in Sibu versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sibu runs roughly 56% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $884 in Sibu versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sibu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sibu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sibu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $884 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sibu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Sibu 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 Sibu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.