Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Al Mukalla

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Mukalla: $842 a month against $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ubud, Bali outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,353
/mo nomad
Al Mukalla
🇾🇪 Yemen
$842
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Al Mukalla

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Al Mukalla actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,353 in Ubud, Bali versus $842 in Al Mukalla.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,353
  • Al Mukalla $842

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,654 in Al Mukalla.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,297
  • Al Mukalla $1,654

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,241 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,466 in Al Mukalla.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,241
  • Al Mukalla $2,466

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 61% more expensive than in Al Mukalla, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Al Mukalla is 38% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Al Mukalla
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.23 Rp 58.1K
$16.88 YER 3,983
-80.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.88 Rp 627.8K
$84.8 YER 20.0K
-58.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.70 Rp 102.5K
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.1K
$8.45 YER 1,992
-68.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$0.89 YER 210
-8.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Al Mukalla
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 Rp 39.5K
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
-
-
Eggs
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
$10.58 YER 2,496
-79.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.65 Rp 317.7K
$15.08 YER 3,557
17.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.78 Rp 68.0K
$25.73 YER 6,070
-85.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.95 Rp 215.1K
$58.5 YER 13.8K
-79.57%
Apples (1kg)
$3.60 Rp 64.8K
$14.61 YER 3,446
-75.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 Rp 28.6K
$6.37 YER 1,503
-75.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 41.6K
$4.94 YER 1,165
-53.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
$3.29 YER 776
-41.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
$7.71 YER 1,818
-76.91%
Onion (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.9K
$4.15 YER 978
-43.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,509
$2.58 YER 609
-79.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$22.07 Rp 397.3K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 Rp 53.6K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Al Mukalla
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 Rp 4,112
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.90 Rp 160.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 Rp 8,466
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,737
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.47 Rp 98.4K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.9K Rp 429.8M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K Rp 590.1M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Al Mukalla
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.56 Rp 118.1K
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.60 Rp 334.8K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Al Mukalla
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 Rp 974.1K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.28 Rp 329.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.25 Rp 76.5K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Al Mukalla
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,597 Rp 100.7M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Al Mukalla
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.58 Rp 820.4K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.96 Rp 629.4K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Al Mukalla
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,131 Rp 20.4M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.1M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,613 Rp 65.0M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,702 Rp 30.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,717 Rp 48.9M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Al Mukalla
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
0
-

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$673
Al Mukalla
–
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$287
Al Mukalla
–
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$107
Al Mukalla
–
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
Al Mukalla
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$105
Al Mukalla
–
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$63
Al Mukalla
–
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
Al Mukalla
–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $85.0 in Al Mukalla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $602 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇾🇪 Al Mukalla
🕒 Local time
19:41 7:41 PM
14:41 2:41 PM
5 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
176,942
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

YER, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Yemeni Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 236 YER (1,000 YER = 4.24 USD). 1 EUR = 265 YER (1,000 YER = 3.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Al Mukalla 7,730 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Al Mukalla

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mukalla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Al Mukalla cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Al Mukalla is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, leisure, and utilities. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,030 in Ubud, Bali and $1,262 in Al Mukalla to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do food prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Al Mukalla?
Shoppers in Ubud, Bali pay roughly 109% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is eating out cheaper in Ubud, Bali or in Al Mukalla?
Dining out is cheaper in Al Mukalla – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ubud, Bali or in Al Mukalla?
At $842 in Al Mukalla versus $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Mukalla but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Al Mukalla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ubud, Bali or Al Mukalla more family-friendly?
For families, Al Mukalla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or Al Mukalla?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Al Mukalla are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Al Mukalla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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