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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,304 in Abu Halifa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,124 in Abu Halifa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,943 in Abu Halifa, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 8% more than Abu Halifa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Abu Halifa is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$6.39 KWD 1.98

-46.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$27.65 KWD 8.57

16.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$8.10 KWD 2.51

-40.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 KWD 0.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 KWD 0.69

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$6.11 KWD 1.89

-54.99%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.68 KWD 0.21

102.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.37 KWD 0.12

102.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.63 KWD 0.51

6.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.96 KWD 0.30

156.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.71 KWD 0.53

-31.58%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.12 KWD 0.66

14.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$3.33 KWD 1.03

335.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$6.66 KWD 2.06

-34.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$9.67 KWD 3.00

23.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.36 KWD 0.73

57.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.88 KWD 0.58

-13.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$0.94 KWD 0.29

191.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$0.64 KWD 0.20

250.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.94 KWD 0.29

104.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.67 KWD 0.21

240.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.67 KWD 0.52

-36.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.49 KWD 0.15

46.94%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.24 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$2.97 KWD 0.92

10.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.84 KWD 0.26

-67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$44.19 KWD 13.70

-81.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$3.21 KWD 0.99

-85.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$3.26 KWD 1.01

-87.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$16.28 KWD 5.05

-61.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.37 KWD 0.11

118.92%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$21.3K KWD 6,587

25.20%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$19.6K KWD 6,072

64.29%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$62.4 KWD 19.35

25.52%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$16.55 KWD 5.13

-75.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$16.14 KWD 5.00

50.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$99.3 KWD 30.78

-0.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$46.53 KWD 14.42

-86.37%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$11.46 KWD 3.55

-65.18%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$409 KWD 127

-25.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$5,818 KWD 1,803

14.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$42.43 KWD 13.15

27.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$42.59 KWD 13.20

-11.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$88.8 KWD 27.52

-2.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$82.3 KWD 25.49

-7.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$778 KWD 241

27.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$608 KWD 189

10.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$1,563 KWD 484

115.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$1,268 KWD 393

61.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$5,264 KWD 1,631

-96.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

165.60%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Abu Halifa: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $778 in Abu Halifa. 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 3053% higher in Abu Halifa, 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $28.00 in Abu Halifa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $160 – making Abu Halifa 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

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

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,956 in Abu Halifa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $28.00 in Abu Halifa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $1,304 in Abu Halifa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abu Halifa, where all-in costs run around $1,304, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Abu Halifa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Abu Halifa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Abu Halifa. 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.