Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Al-jahra' Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Al-jahra'

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,421 in Al-jahra'.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,427 in Al-jahra'.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,433 in Al-jahra'.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 2% less than in Al-jahra', driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Al-jahra' 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

$9.56 KWD 2.97

-62.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

$82.1 KWD 25.48

-60.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

$9.05 KWD 2.81

-44.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 KWD 0.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 KWD 1.17

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

$5.84 KWD 1.81

-51.71%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.64 KWD 0.20

110.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.35 KWD 0.11

108.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

$1.55 KWD 0.48

14.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

$1.30 KWD 0.40

88.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

$1.72 KWD 0.53

-33.14%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

$2.01 KWD 0.62

19.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

$5.14 KWD 1.59

178.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

$6.31 KWD 1.96

-33.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

$10.50 KWD 3.26

14.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

$2.42 KWD 0.75

50.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.92 KWD 0.59

-18.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

$1.74 KWD 0.54

60.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.50 KWD 0.47

49.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

$1.22 KWD 0.38

62.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

$1.25 KWD 0.39

82.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

$1.67 KWD 0.52

-37.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.49 KWD 0.15

61.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 KWD 0.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

$3.03 KWD 0.94

5.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,821

$0.89 KWD 0.28

-69.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

$44.79 KWD 13.90

-81.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,180

$3.21 KWD 1.00

-85.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,311

$3.29 KWD 1.02

-86.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

$16.07 KWD 4.99

-62.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.36 KWD 0.11

138.89%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

$21.6K KWD 6,699

23.15%

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

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

$19.8K KWD 6,130

64.78%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$20.26 KWD 6.29

290.03%

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

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

$18.72 KWD 5.81

-78.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

$26.17 KWD 8.12

-8.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$199 KWD 61.6

-50.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

$46.59 KWD 14.46

-86.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

$11.37 KWD 3.53

-64.73%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$399 KWD 124

-25.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

$6,597 KWD 2,047

0.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

$42.96 KWD 13.33

24.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

$43.11 KWD 13.38

-11.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$86.6 KWD 26.86

2.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$80.7 KWD 25.04

-5.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$784 KWD 243

30.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$603 KWD 187

12.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

$1,589 KWD 493

118.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

$1,273 KWD 395

64.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$2,915 KWD 904

-94.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

7.14

85.99%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Al-jahra': July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $784 in Al-jahra'. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-jahra' pays 1681% 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: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $82.0 in Al-jahra'. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $179, with Al-jahra' 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 Al-jahra': Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1681% lower in Al-jahra'. 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $784 in Al-jahra'. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $399 in Al-jahra'. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Al-jahra' pay roughly 67% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,421 in Al-jahra', a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Al-jahra'. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Al-jahra', and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Al-jahra' 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 2% less than in Al-jahra'. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.