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: $883 in Sungai Petani versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,334 in Sungai Petani versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,785 in Sungai Petani versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 MYR 14.72

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

4.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.99 MYR 81.6

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

-44.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.56 MYR 18.62

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

-20.14%

Cappuccino

$1.75 MYR 7.13

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

-34.46%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.14

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-56.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MYR 1.57

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

-56.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 MYR 17.38

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

44.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.26

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

-33.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.56

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

14.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-53.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.16

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

57.66%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.97

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.48 MYR 38.68

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

-46.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 MYR 17.78

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

6.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 MYR 35.09

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

-29.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MYR 11.82

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

-21.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.08

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

8.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MYR 10.15

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

9.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.83

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

-26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.37

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

-43.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.71

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-50.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 MYR 4.49

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

8.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.37

$0.55 Rp 9,773

5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MYR 17.90

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

96.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.52 MYR 79.7

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

-15.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 MYR 12.39

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

25.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 MYR 16.33

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.16

$0.27 Rp 4,814

185.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.47 MYR 50.9

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

38.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 MYR 7.12

$0.48 Rp 8,566

262.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 MYR 1.66

$0.43 Rp 7,679

-4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.19 MYR 29.34

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

27.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.97

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

-40.00%

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

$42.4K MYR 173.0K

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

69.85%

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

$34.4K MYR 140.6K

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

8.62%

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

$36.98 MYR 151

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-54.60%

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

$10.10 MYR 41.25

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

55.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.78 MYR 80.7

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

5.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.50 MYR 165

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-28.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.49 MYR 26.51

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

-65.35%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 MYR 12.16

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

-34.36%

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

$425 MYR 1,735

$481 Rp 8.5M

-11.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K MYR 44.4K

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

90.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 MYR 246

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

32.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.80 MYR 142

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

-3.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 MYR 305

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-7.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 MYR 281

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

-12.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 MYR 1,679

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

-63.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 MYR 1,260

$698 Rp 12.4M

-55.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$690 MYR 2,817

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-81.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 MYR 2,005

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-71.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,045 MYR 8,349

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

-26.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,136 MYR 4,640

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

-50.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 MYR 2,047

$168 Rp 3.0M

198.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

13.78

-69.23%

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

Last update for Sungai Petani: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $411 in Sungai Petani and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sungai Petani pays 198% 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 Sungai Petani vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $295 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

Sungai Petani and Ubud, Bali differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($883 vs $1,368 including rent). Sungai Petani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 198% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $411 in Sungai Petani versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $425 in Sungai Petani versus $481 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $883 in Sungai Petani versus $1,368 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.

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, 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.

Expats usually find Sungai Petani 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.