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: $821 in Sibu versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,237 in Sibu versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,653 in Sibu versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Sibu costs roughly 42% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sibu is 39% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 MYR 8.43

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

-41.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.41 MYR 33.74

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

-74.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 MYR 16.03

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

-19.19%

Cappuccino

$2.13 MYR 8.52

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

-21.40%

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

$0.60 MYR 2.39

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

-55.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 MYR 0.92

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-67.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 MYR 11.40

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

-2.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 MYR 19.86

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 MYR 5.56

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

-23.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 MYR 5.32

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

-47.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.81

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

3.45%

Eggs

$1.55 MYR 6.22

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

-36.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.94 MYR 59.9

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

1.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 MYR 18.77

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

8.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.93 MYR 23.78

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

-51.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MYR 12.20

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

-20.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.83

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

-22.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.50

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

-33.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 MYR 13.95

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

49.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.00

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

-34.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 MYR 9.27

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MYR 3.99

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

-1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MYR 4.83

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 MYR 15.81

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

18.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.02 MYR 72.3

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

-24.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MYR 4.88

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-56.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 MYR 16.41

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

43.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.92

$0.27 Rp 4,848

170.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 47.46

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

47.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.80

$0.46 Rp 8,230

160.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.93

$0.45 Rp 8,116

117.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 MYR 23.38

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

-4.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.99

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

-36.71%

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

$34.7K MYR 139.2K

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

32.79%

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

$31.4K MYR 125.7K

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

-2.37%

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

$43.93 MYR 176

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-45.05%

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

$5.12 MYR 20.53

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

26.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.25 MYR 73.2

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

-22.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 MYR 93.1

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-76.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.20

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

-12.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 MYR 12.40

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

-25.54%

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

$190 MYR 762

$304 Rp 5.5M

-37.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,990 MYR 28.0K

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

5.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 MYR 245

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

9.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.04 MYR 108

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

-29.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 MYR 289

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-18.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 MYR 201

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-35.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 MYR 1,540

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

-61.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MYR 1,085

$675 Rp 12.2M

-59.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,606

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

-81.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MYR 1,863

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

-77.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,217 MYR 8,890

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

-21.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$869 MYR 3,484

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

-61.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$511 MYR 2,048

$165 Rp 3.0M

209.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

13.28

-68.00%

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

Last update for Sibu: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $384 in Sibu and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sibu pays 209% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $8.00 in Sibu vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $302 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 73% 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.

Sibu pays 209% 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: $384 in Sibu versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $821 per month in Sibu versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sibu runs roughly 47% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $821 in Sibu versus $1,419 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 $821 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 73% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.