Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and As-salimiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and As-salimiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,352 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,273 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,275 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,194 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 2% more than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while As-salimiyah is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$12.89 KWD 3.95

-74.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$58.5 KWD 17.94

-38.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$7.93 KWD 2.43

-29.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$5.37 KWD 1.65

-47.49%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.76 KWD 0.23

130.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.34 KWD 0.10

135.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.28 KWD 0.39

25.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.75 KWD 0.23

202.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.98 KWD 0.61

-40.91%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.06 KWD 0.63

5.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$4.45 KWD 1.36

296.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$5.47 KWD 1.68

-25.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$9.44 KWD 2.89

29.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.15 KWD 0.66

68.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.58 KWD 0.49

3.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.34 KWD 0.41

72.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.49 KWD 0.46

31.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.31 KWD 0.40

40.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.79 KWD 0.24

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.64 KWD 0.50

-35.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.50 KWD 0.15

8.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$2.72 KWD 0.83

-15.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.93 KWD 0.29

-73.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$48.99 KWD 15.02

-80.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$3.31 KWD 1.01

-85.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$3.17 KWD 0.97

-85.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$16.47 KWD 5.05

-66.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.32 KWD 0.10

153.13%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$20.7K KWD 6,350

20.76%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$20.3K KWD 6,211

53.35%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$32.77 KWD 10.05

152.43%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$20.76 KWD 6.37

-68.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$30.42 KWD 9.33

-38.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$95.6 KWD 29.31

-42.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$65.2 KWD 19.98

-72.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$11.11 KWD 3.41

-61.30%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$275 KWD 84.4

79.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$6,291 KWD 1,929

-5.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$37.48 KWD 11.49

23.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$38.10 KWD 11.68

-4.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$89.7 KWD 27.49

-10.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$64.8 KWD 19.86

21.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$889 KWD 273

25.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$641 KWD 196

8.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$1,767 KWD 542

105.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$1,367 KWD 419

25.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$2,784 KWD 854

-94.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.53

111.03%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $889 in As-salimiyah. 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 1566% higher in As-salimiyah, 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $59.0 in As-salimiyah. Groceries tell a different story – $294 in Ubud, Bali vs $157 in As-salimiyah – so As-salimiyah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 As-salimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 2%, 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 $2,067 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,029 in As-salimiyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,378 in Ubud, Bali and $1,352 in As-salimiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 420% less in As-salimiyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in As-salimiyah, where all-in costs run around $1,352, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. In As-salimiyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward As-salimiyah – 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 As-salimiyah. 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.