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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $953 per month in Tawau vs $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,392 per month in Tawau vs $2,327 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,831 per month in Tawau vs $3,275 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Tawau is about 31% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tawau sits 31% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 MYR 12.90

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

-4.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 MYR 78.9

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

-45.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 MYR 16.98

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

-25.75%

Cappuccino

$3.12 MYR 12.68

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

10.64%

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

$0.95 MYR 3.88

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-45.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.45

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

-55.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 MYR 10.79

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

-12.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 MYR 18.38

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

5.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.33

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

11.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MYR 4.14

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-55.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.95

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

24.79%

Eggs

$1.91 MYR 7.77

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

-11.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 MYR 54.2

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-24.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.40

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

11.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 MYR 39.03

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

-21.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 MYR 12.65

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-14.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.64

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

-0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 MYR 10.03

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

6.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.95

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

-12.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.96

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-48.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.29

$0.54 Rp 9,560

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MYR 18.16

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

93.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.80 MYR 76.5

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-18.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.85

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

24.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MYR 13.61

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

9.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$0.25 Rp 4,365

208.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.38 MYR 46.30

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

20.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 MYR 5.10

$0.49 Rp 8,631

155.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$0.47 Rp 8,349

2.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 MYR 34.12

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

49.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 MYR 2.94

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

-11.11%

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

$42.3K MYR 172.3K

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

69.31%

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

$34.7K MYR 141.0K

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

11.59%

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

$49.61 MYR 202

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

-40.03%

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

$10.63 MYR 43.23

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

63.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.77 MYR 117

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

53.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.98 MYR 175

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

-22.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.53 MYR 30.62

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

-58.65%

Cinema Ticket

$3.70 MYR 15.05

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

-13.95%

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

$178 MYR 723

$494 Rp 8.7M

-64.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,269 MYR 17.4K

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

-27.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 MYR 232

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

23.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 MYR 164

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

10.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 MYR 383

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

16.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.1 MYR 273

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

-14.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 MYR 1,937

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-57.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MYR 1,413

$693 Rp 12.2M

-49.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 MYR 3,063

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-79.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 MYR 2,271

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-67.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,147 MYR 8,733

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

-22.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,253 MYR 5,099

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

-45.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$413 MYR 1,678

$167 Rp 2.9M

146.91%

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 Tawau: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Tawau versus $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 147% higher in Tawau, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Tawau versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $294 – making Tawau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Ubud, Bali costs about 45% more than Tawau, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,430 per month in Tawau and $2,067 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tawau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Tawau and $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tawau, where all-in costs run around $953, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. In Tawau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tawau costs $953 versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tawau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.