🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $846 in Sungai Petani versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,285 in Sungai Petani versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,723 in Sungai Petani versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Living in Sungai Petani costs roughly 40% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Sungai Petani is 37% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.13MYR 12.47
$3.56Rp 63.9K
-12.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.87MYR 83.3
$32.73Rp 586.8K
-36.24%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.36MYR 17.39
$4.95Rp 88.7K
-11.92%
Cappuccino
$1.70MYR 6.78
$2.71Rp 48.6K
-37.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49MYR 1.96
$1.34Rp 24.1K
-63.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25MYR 1.00
$0.70Rp 12.5K
-64.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.24MYR 16.90
$2.92Rp 52.3K
45.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87MYR 11.47
$3.96Rp 70.9K
-27.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.83MYR 7.32
$1.81Rp 32.4K
1.10%
White Bread(500g)
$0.68MYR 2.71
$2.52Rp 45.1K
-73.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.25MYR 5.00
$1.16Rp 20.8K
7.76%
Eggs
$2.04MYR 8.13
$2.46Rp 44.1K
-17.07%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.08MYR 60.2
$14.71Rp 263.7K
2.52%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.52MYR 14.06
$4.32Rp 77.4K
-18.52%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.87MYR 39.39
$12.14Rp 217.5K
-18.70%
Apples(1kg)
$2.92MYR 11.64
$3.84Rp 68.8K
-23.96%
Banana(1kg)
$1.44MYR 5.73
$1.56Rp 27.9K
-7.69%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.70MYR 10.78
$2.83Rp 50.8K
-4.59%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MYR 8.30
$2.33Rp 41.7K
-10.73%
Potato(1kg)
$1.18MYR 4.69
$1.91Rp 34.3K
-38.22%
Onion(1kg)
$1.21MYR 4.82
$2.20Rp 39.5K
-45.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.95MYR 3.79
$1.01Rp 18.2K
-5.94%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46MYR 1.82
$0.78Rp 13.9K
-41.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08MYR 16.27
$3.32Rp 59.4K
22.89%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.86MYR 79.2
$23.74Rp 425.5K
-16.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.73MYR 10.88
$2.79Rp 50.0K
-2.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.49MYR 13.92
$2.86Rp 51.3K
22.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.74MYR 2.93
$0.27Rp 4,819
174.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.62MYR 46.36
$8.03Rp 143.9K
44.71%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.70MYR 2.78
$0.46Rp 8,181
52.17%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.50MYR 1.98
$0.45Rp 8,068
11.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.27MYR 29.00
$6.10Rp 109.3K
19.18%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.50MYR 2.00
$0.79Rp 14.2K
-36.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2KMYR 132.5K
$26.1KRp 468.8M
27.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3KMYR 109.0K
$32.1KRp 575.8M
-14.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$38.81MYR 155
$79.9Rp 1.4M
-51.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.26MYR 40.95
$4.06Rp 72.9K
152.71%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.36MYR 125
$23.52Rp 421.6K
33.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.11MYR 148
$98.7Rp 1.8M
-62.40%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.95MYR 23.73
$6.63Rp 118.8K
-10.26%
Cinema Ticket
$2.84MYR 11.34
$4.15Rp 74.3K
-31.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$241MYR 962
$304Rp 5.4M
-20.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,305MYR 25.2K
$6,613Rp 118.5M
-4.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.1MYR 216
$55.5Rp 995.6K
-2.66%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.28MYR 117
$38.31Rp 686.7K
-23.57%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$61.0MYR 243
$88.6Rp 1.6M
-31.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$52.3MYR 209
$77.9Rp 1.4M
-32.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$379MYR 1,514
$1,006Rp 18.0M
-62.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$273MYR 1,091
$675Rp 12.1M
-59.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$644MYR 2,569
$3,442Rp 61.7M
-81.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$466MYR 1,860
$2,039Rp 36.6M
-77.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,277MYR 5,095
$2,841Rp 50.9M
-55.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$501MYR 2,000
$2,264Rp 40.6M
-77.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$511MYR 2,040
$165Rp 3.0M
209.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.16
13.28
-68.67%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sungai Petani: June 1, 2026
Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $379 in Sungai Petani and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Sungai Petani 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: $21.00 in Sungai Petani vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $302 per month, with Sungai Petani 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
Sungai Petani vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sungai Petani and Ubud, Bali?
Sungai Petani and Ubud, Bali differ by about 68% in total monthly costs ($846 vs $1,419 including rent). Sungai Petani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Sungai Petani or Ubud, Bali?
Sungai Petani 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Sungai Petani and Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $379 in Sungai Petani versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Sungai Petani and Ubud, Bali?
Childcare runs $241 in Sungai Petani versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $846 in Sungai Petani versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sungai Petani but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sungai Petani the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sungai Petani and Ubud, Bali?
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.
Is Sungai Petani or Ubud, Bali safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sungai Petani 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.
Where should expats move: Sungai Petani or Ubud, Bali?
Expats usually find Sungai Petani gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Sungai Petani vs other spots: cost of living compared