Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Abu Dhabi Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Abu Dhabi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,216 in Abu Dhabi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,511 in Abu Dhabi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,805 in Abu Dhabi.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 36% less than in Abu Dhabi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Abu Dhabi 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$10.90 AED 40.04

-67.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$67.1 AED 246

-51.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

$9.47 AED 34.76

-47.73%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$5.75 AED 21.11

-52.87%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$1.26 AED 4.64

6.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.41 AED 1.49

70.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$10.76 AED 39.52

-72.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$10.91 AED 40.06

-63.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$1.94 AED 7.11

-6.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$1.55 AED 5.69

62.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$2.38 AED 8.74

-51.26%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$3.56 AED 13.07

-30.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$10.98 AED 40.32

33.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$8.77 AED 32.21

-50.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$11.27 AED 41.37

7.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$2.50 AED 9.19

53.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.81 AED 6.64

-13.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$1.89 AED 6.94

49.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$1.49 AED 5.48

56.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$1.13 AED 4.15

69.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$1.40 AED 5.13

57.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$1.86 AED 6.85

-45.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$0.59 AED 2.17

32.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$6.13 AED 22.51

-45.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

$13.68 AED 50.2

73.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$2.35 AED 8.64

18.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$2.17 AED 7.96

31.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$0.70 AED 2.58

-61.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

$25.46 AED 93.5

-68.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,230

$3.31 AED 12.15

-86.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,116

$0.52 AED 1.93

-13.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$8.32 AED 30.57

-26.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$0.81 AED 2.98

-2.47%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$45.7K AED 167.7K

-42.72%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

$22.2K AED 81.5K

44.67%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$143 AED 524

-43.98%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$50.7 AED 186

-92.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

$102 AED 373

-76.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$65.4 AED 240

51.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$34.65 AED 127

-80.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$13.41 AED 49.24

-69.05%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$640 AED 2,352

-52.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$12.3K AED 45.2K

-46.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$57.3 AED 210

-3.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$57.2 AED 210

-33.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$92.0 AED 338

-3.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$89.3 AED 328

-12.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

$1,473 AED 5,409

-31.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$1,101 AED 4,042

-38.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$3,047 AED 11.2K

12.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$2,288 AED 8,403

-10.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$4,700 AED 17.3K

-39.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$2,933 AED 10.8K

-22.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$2,776 AED 10.2K

-94.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.19

155.88%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Abu Dhabi: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $1,473 in Abu Dhabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abu Dhabi pays 1580% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $67.0 in Abu Dhabi. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $272, with Abu Dhabi cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Abu Dhabi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Abu Dhabi earns 1580% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,473 in Abu Dhabi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 217% less than in Abu Dhabi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $640 in Abu Dhabi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,216 in Abu Dhabi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Abu Dhabi. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,419 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Abu Dhabi 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Abu Dhabi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.