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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,167 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,707 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,246 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 17% more than Bandar Seri Begawan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Bandar Seri Begawan is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$3.87 BND 4.95

-11.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$27.24 BND 34.80

33.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$6.05 BND 7.73

-5.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 BND 2.47

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 BND 2.93

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$3.83 BND 4.90

-30.29%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.91 BND 1.16

92.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.51 BND 0.65

70.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.93 BND 2.47

-16.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.70 BND 2.17

37.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.26 BND 1.61

-11.90%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.00 BND 2.55

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$9.50 BND 12.14

86.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$4.44 BND 5.67

-7.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$11.03 BND 14.09

10.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$3.09 BND 3.95

20.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$2.18 BND 2.78

-27.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$3.00 BND 3.83

-24.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$2.54 BND 3.24

-23.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.67 BND 2.13

14.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.05 BND 2.62

13.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$3.65 BND 4.66

-72.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.92 BND 1.17

-40.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$23.70 BND 30.27

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.38 BND 4.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$15.69 BND 20.04

-85.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.80 BND 1.03

-66.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$0.83 BND 1.06

981.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$4.01 BND 5.12

-88.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$3.26 BND 4.16

-86.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$11.88 BND 15.17

-52.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.43 BND 0.55

86.05%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$42.9K BND 54.8K

-41.83%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$36.7K BND 46.9K

-13.71%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$60.7 BND 77.6

34.16%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$22.31 BND 28.50

-70.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$64.4 BND 82.3

-70.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$45.48 BND 58.1

25.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$7.06 BND 9.01

165.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$5.62 BND 7.18

-19.22%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$222 BND 283

116.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$9,950 BND 12.7K

-42.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$76.3 BND 97.5

-40.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$95.2 BND 122

-62.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$105 BND 134

-23.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$74.2 BND 94.8

6.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$716 BND 914

55.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$471 BND 602

48.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,141 BND 1,458

218.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$712 BND 910

143.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$3,174 BND 4,056

-12.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$2,328 BND 2,974

-1.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$1,767 BND 2,258

-90.49%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $716 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 run about 952% higher in Bandar Seri Begawan, 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 $27.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $221 – making Bandar Seri Begawan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 17%, 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 $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,750 in Bandar Seri Begawan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bandar Seri Begawan, 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 $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $1,167 in Bandar Seri Begawan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 982% less in Bandar Seri Begawan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bandar Seri Begawan, where all-in costs run around $1,167, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In Bandar Seri Begawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 Bandar Seri Begawan. 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.