Cost of Living Comparison Between Sungai Petani and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Sungai Petani and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $824 in Sungai Petani versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,254 in Sungai Petani versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,684 in Sungai Petani versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Sungai Petani costs roughly 41% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sungai Petani is 38% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.07 MYR 12.57
$3.45 Rp 62.1K
-11.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.95 MYR 85.7
$32.34 Rp 581.1K
-35.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.16 MYR 17.01
$4.84 Rp 87.1K
-14.05%
Cappuccino
$1.66 MYR 6.80
$2.75 Rp 49.4K
-39.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 MYR 2.02
$1.38 Rp 24.9K
-64.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25 MYR 1.02
$0.75 Rp 13.5K
-66.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.49 MYR 18.36
$2.99 Rp 53.8K
50.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 MYR 11.62
$3.85 Rp 69.2K
-26.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 MYR 7.44
$1.74 Rp 31.2K
4.60%
White Bread (500g)
$0.68 MYR 2.80
$2.46 Rp 44.2K
-72.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.25 MYR 5.12
$1.17 Rp 21.0K
6.84%
Eggs
$2.13 MYR 8.70
$2.43 Rp 43.7K
-12.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.89 MYR 60.9
$14.50 Rp 260.6K
2.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.60 MYR 14.73
$4.35 Rp 78.2K
-17.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.79 MYR 40.05
$11.98 Rp 215.3K
-18.28%
Apples (1kg)
$2.91 MYR 11.91
$3.72 Rp 66.8K
-21.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 MYR 6.21
$1.63 Rp 29.2K
-6.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.72 MYR 11.14
$2.74 Rp 49.3K
-0.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 MYR 8.59
$2.24 Rp 40.3K
-6.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.18 MYR 4.84
$1.92 Rp 34.5K
-38.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 MYR 4.76
$2.28 Rp 40.9K
-49.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.90 MYR 3.69
$1.06 Rp 19.1K
-15.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46 MYR 1.87
$0.72 Rp 12.9K
-36.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 MYR 16.33
$3.29 Rp 59.0K
21.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.87 MYR 77.2
$23.19 Rp 416.8K
-18.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.70 MYR 11.04
$2.78 Rp 49.9K
-2.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.47 MYR 14.20
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
27.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.70 MYR 2.85
$0.27 Rp 4,786
159.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.96 MYR 48.94
$8.11 Rp 145.7K
47.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.74 MYR 3.04
$0.48 Rp 8,675
54.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.50 MYR 2.04
$0.42 Rp 7,545
19.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.02 MYR 28.71
$6.22 Rp 111.8K
12.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.50 MYR 2.05
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
-38.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.9K MYR 134.7K
$26.6K Rp 478.2M
23.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K MYR 111.4K
$32.2K Rp 578.5M
-15.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$39.01 MYR 160
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
-50.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.93 MYR 40.63
$4.07 Rp 73.1K
143.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.39 MYR 128
$24.33 Rp 437.1K
29.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.48 MYR 149
$98.6 Rp 1.8M
-63.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.92 MYR 24.22
$6.34 Rp 113.9K
-6.62%
Cinema Ticket
$2.79 MYR 11.41
$3.99 Rp 71.6K
-30.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$240 MYR 983
$305 Rp 5.5M
-21.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,266 MYR 25.6K
$6,642 Rp 119.4M
-5.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 MYR 221
$54.1 Rp 972.9K
-0.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.31 MYR 116
$37.81 Rp 679.4K
-25.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$62.3 MYR 255
$86.8 Rp 1.6M
-28.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$53.8 MYR 220
$76.4 Rp 1.4M
-29.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$384 MYR 1,571
$992 Rp 17.8M
-61.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$270 MYR 1,106
$673 Rp 12.1M
-59.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$634 MYR 2,593
$3,375 Rp 60.7M
-81.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$479 MYR 1,960
$2,050 Rp 36.8M
-76.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,051 MYR 8,389
$2,805 Rp 50.4M
-26.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,180 MYR 4,826
$2,227 Rp 40.0M
-47.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sungai Petani
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$494 MYR 2,020
$167 Rp 3.0M
195.82%
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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $384 in Sungai Petani and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sungai Petani pays 196% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $297 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 in Ubud, Bali?
Sungai Petani and Ubud, Bali differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($824 vs $1,408 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?
Average pay runs 196% higher in Sungai Petani, 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 in Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $384 in Sungai Petani versus $992 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 $240 in Sungai Petani versus $305 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 19% 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 $824 in Sungai Petani versus $1,408 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 71% 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

Similar cities