Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Bandar Seri Begawan

For one person, living is cheaper in Bandar Seri Begawan: $1,215 a month against $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ubud, Bali outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,349
/mo nomad
Bandar Seri Begawan
🇧🇳 Brunei
$1,215
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Bandar Seri Begawan

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 Bandar Seri Begawan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,349 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,215 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,349
  • Bandar Seri Begawan $1,215

A couple spends around $2,305 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,756 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,305
  • Bandar Seri Begawan $1,756

A family of three spends $3,261 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,296 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,261
  • Bandar Seri Begawan $2,296

Ubud, Bali costs about 11% more than Bandar Seri Begawan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Bandar Seri Begawan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.32 Rp 60.3K
$3.93 BND 5.02
-15.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.64 Rp 646.7K
$27.87 BND 35.65
27.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.53 Rp 100.4K
$6.14 BND 7.85
-9.93%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.96 BND 2.51
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.36 BND 3.02
-
Cappuccino
$2.72 Rp 49.3K
$4.01 BND 5.13
-32.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 Rp 30.9K
$0.95 BND 1.22
78.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 Rp 13.8K
$0.53 BND 0.68
43.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 48.2K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 Rp 79.5K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Bandar Seri Begawan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 Rp 27.1K
$1.89 BND 2.41
-21.16%
White Bread (500g)
$2.28 Rp 41.3K
$1.76 BND 2.25
29.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 Rp 21.6K
$1.19 BND 1.52
-
Eggs
$2.04 Rp 36.9K
$2.09 BND 2.68
-2.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.70 Rp 321.2K
$9.18 BND 11.75
92.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.96 Rp 71.9K
$4.61 BND 5.90
-14.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.19 Rp 221.2K
$10.69 BND 13.67
14.03%
Apples (1kg)
$3.66 Rp 66.3K
$3.14 BND 4.01
16.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 Rp 27.5K
$2.22 BND 2.84
-31.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
$2.84 BND 3.64
-21.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.8K
$2.58 BND 3.30
-23.64%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 Rp 33.5K
$1.67 BND 2.14
10.78%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 Rp 44.0K
$1.99 BND 2.55
21.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 18.0K
$3.63 BND 4.64
-72.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 Rp 9,316
$0.92 BND 1.17
-44.57%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$23.60 BND 30.19
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$3.34 BND 4.27
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.22 Rp 40.3K
$15.44 BND 19.75
-85.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.24 Rp 403.6K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 Rp 41.0K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 53.9K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Bandar Seri Begawan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,555
$0.81 BND 1.04
-69.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.82 Rp 142.0K
$23.46 BND 30.01
-66.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,975
$3.98 BND 5.10
-88.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,804
$3.39 BND 4.33
-87.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 Rp 98.2K
$11.48 BND 14.68
-52.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 Rp 15.0K
$0.43 BND 0.55
90.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.8K Rp 432.6M
$43.6K BND 55.7K
-45.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 576.1M
$36.1K BND 46.2K
-12.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Bandar Seri Begawan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
$61.3 BND 78.5
28.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 117.0K
$21.81 BND 27.90
-70.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.58 Rp 337.1K
$66.1 BND 84.6
-71.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Bandar Seri Begawan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.48 Rp 897.9K
$46.25 BND 59.2
6.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.65 Rp 320.2K
$7.12 BND 9.11
147.89%
Cinema Ticket
$4.27 Rp 77.6K
$5.62 BND 7.18
-24.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Bandar Seri Begawan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$491 Rp 8.9M
$220 BND 282
122.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,674 Rp 103.0M
$9,743 BND 12.5K
-41.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Bandar Seri Begawan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.64 Rp 810.0K
$77.1 BND 98.6
-42.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.95 Rp 634.2K
$95.5 BND 122
-63.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
$102 BND 130
-21.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
$73.2 BND 93.6
8.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Bandar Seri Begawan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,125 Rp 20.4M
$726 BND 929
54.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$671 Rp 12.2M
$481 BND 615
39.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,565 Rp 64.7M
$1,159 BND 1,483
207.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,723 Rp 31.3M
$681 BND 871
153.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,732 Rp 49.6M
$3,076 BND 3,935
-11.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,284 Rp 41.4M
$2,232 BND 2,855
2.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Bandar Seri Begawan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$164 Rp 3.0M
$1,745 BND 2,232
-90.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
3.88
255.15%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$672
Bandar Seri Begawan
$481 28.4% $191
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$288
Bandar Seri Begawan
$220 23.7% $68
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$108
Bandar Seri Begawan
$104 3.5% $3.8
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
Bandar Seri Begawan
$156 45.5% $49
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$104
Bandar Seri Begawan
$149 43.4% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$58
Bandar Seri Begawan
$57 0.9% $0.6
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$11
Bandar Seri Begawan
$48 317% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,125 in Ubud, Bali versus $726 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Bandar Seri Begawan are about 11 times higher, 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 in Ubud, Bali versus $28 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $220 – making Bandar Seri Begawan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇧🇳 Bandar Seri Begawan
🕒 Local time
22:07 10:07 PM
22:07 10:07 PM
Same time as Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
50,000 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BND, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18,145 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,249 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Brunei Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 BND (1 BND = 0.782 USD). 1 EUR = 1.43 BND (1 BND = 0.701 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Bandar Seri Begawan 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Bandar Seri Begawan

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 Bandar Seri Begawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bandar Seri Begawan cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 11%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,023 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,823 in Bandar Seri Begawan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bandar Seri Begawan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $726 there versus $1,125 in Ubud, Bali.
What are total monthly expenses in Ubud, Bali and in Bandar Seri Begawan?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,349 in Ubud, Bali and $1,215 in Bandar Seri Begawan. That makes Bandar Seri Begawan about 10% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 67% less in Ubud, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 enough for either Ubud, Bali or Bandar Seri Begawan?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,349 in Ubud, Bali and $1,215 in Bandar Seri Begawan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Ubud, Bali or Bandar Seri Begawan more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Bandar Seri Begawan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or Bandar Seri Begawan?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?