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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,439 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,262 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,086 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 1% cheaper than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ubud, Bali and As-salimiyah sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 6%, As-salimiyah by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$9.77 KWD 3.02

-63.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$43.64 KWD 13.47

-25.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$8.10 KWD 2.50

-38.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 KWD 0.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 KWD 1.12

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$6.00 KWD 1.85

-54.83%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.63 KWD 0.20

112.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.35 KWD 0.11

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.49 KWD 0.46

21.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$0.88 KWD 0.27

186.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.66 KWD 0.51

-30.12%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.11 KWD 0.65

16.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$4.76 KWD 1.47

209.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$6.41 KWD 1.98

-32.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$10.34 KWD 3.19

17.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$1.99 KWD 0.61

92.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$1.53 KWD 0.47

84.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.37 KWD 0.42

70.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.22 KWD 0.38

56.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$0.87 KWD 0.27

152.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.52 KWD 0.47

-33.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.49 KWD 0.15

59.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.19 KWD 0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$2.86 KWD 0.88

16.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$1.13 KWD 0.35

-76.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$48.59 KWD 15.00

-83.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$3.24 KWD 1.00

-85.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$3.30 KWD 1.02

-86.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$16.06 KWD 4.96

-62.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.34 KWD 0.11

132.35%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$21.5K KWD 6,654

21.36%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$19.9K KWD 6,145

61.40%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$38.97 KWD 12.03

105.13%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$18.55 KWD 5.73

-78.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$25.79 KWD 7.96

-8.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$95.6 KWD 29.52

3.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$64.2 KWD 19.82

-89.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$8.74 KWD 2.70

-52.52%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$278 KWD 86.0

9.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$6,686 KWD 2,065

-1.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$41.71 KWD 12.88

33.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$41.92 KWD 12.95

-8.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$88.4 KWD 27.31

0.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$67.3 KWD 20.79

15.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$941 KWD 291

6.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$731 KWD 226

-7.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$1,844 KWD 570

86.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$1,375 KWD 425

48.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$2,830 KWD 874

-94.16%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $941 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 1612% higher in As-salimiyah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $44.00 in As-salimiyah. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Ubud, Bali vs $166 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 – As-salimiyah is pricier by about 1%, 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 $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,159 in As-salimiyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, 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 $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $1,439 in As-salimiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 505% less in Ubud, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,419, than in As-salimiyah at $1,439. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in As-salimiyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – 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 Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, As-salimiyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.