Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Batu Kawan Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Batu Kawan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $928 in Batu Kawan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,425 in Batu Kawan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,921 in Batu Kawan.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 55% more expensive than Batu Kawan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Batu Kawan is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$4.62 MYR 18.24

-22.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$28.70 MYR 113

13.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$4.83 MYR 19.06

4.97%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$3.01 MYR 11.90

-5.98%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.86 MYR 3.40

55.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.53 MYR 2.11

30.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$4.32 MYR 17.07

-30.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$5.99 MYR 23.66

-35.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.38 MYR 5.47

26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.05 MYR 4.14

141.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.70 MYR 2.75

70.00%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.01 MYR 7.92

20.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$14.50 MYR 57.3

1.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$4.60 MYR 18.15

-9.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$9.78 MYR 38.64

22.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.99 MYR 11.83

23.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.63 MYR 6.45

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.73 MYR 10.80

-1.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.53 MYR 6.06

52.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.22 MYR 4.81

56.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.39 MYR 5.48

57.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.16 MYR 4.58

-8.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.63 MYR 2.49

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$4.20 MYR 16.58

-25.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$18.80 MYR 74.2

24.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$3.27 MYR 12.93

-16.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$4.30 MYR 16.98

-33.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.73 MYR 2.90

-60.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$11.75 MYR 46.41

-30.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.68 MYR 2.70

-33.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.10 MYR 4.35

-61.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$4.66 MYR 18.42

32.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$0.50 MYR 1.99

68.00%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$30.3K MYR 119.6K

-13.35%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$32.8K MYR 129.7K

-1.09%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$64.5 MYR 255

21.58%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$11.67 MYR 46.11

-66.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$22.91 MYR 90.5

6.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$36.45 MYR 144

164.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$5.71 MYR 22.57

11.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$3.46 MYR 13.67

16.76%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$268 MYR 1,058

12.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$9,345 MYR 36.9K

-30.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$61.4 MYR 243

-12.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$36.90 MYR 146

2.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$86.0 MYR 340

0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$79.1 MYR 312

-0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$392 MYR 1,548

158.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$273 MYR 1,077

147.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$637 MYR 2,517

431.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$479 MYR 1,894

337.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$1,809 MYR 7,147

64.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$904 MYR 3,570

158.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$1,897 MYR 7,494

-90.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

232.00%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Batu Kawan: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $392 in Batu Kawan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Batu Kawan pays 996% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $29.00 in Batu Kawan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $256 per month, with Batu Kawan cheaper across the board.

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 Batu Kawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Batu Kawan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Batu Kawan earns 996% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $392 in Batu Kawan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $928 in Batu Kawan – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Batu Kawan runs roughly 44% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $928 in Batu Kawan versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Batu Kawan but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Batu Kawan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Batu Kawan 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.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Batu Kawan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Batu Kawan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.