Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Bintulu Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Bintulu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $843 in Bintulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,334 in Bintulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,824 in Bintulu.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 62% more expensive than in Bintulu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Bintulu is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$3.89 MYR 15.88

-11.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.0K

$18.53 MYR 75.6

95.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$5.78 MYR 23.57

-1.21%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.96 MYR 12.09

-9.80%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.64 MYR 2.62

173.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.37 MYR 1.53

135.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$2.93 MYR 11.94

0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.1K

$5.13 MYR 20.93

-11.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.16 MYR 8.80

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.37 MYR 5.61

70.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.32 MYR 5.39

-15.91%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.18 MYR 8.90

0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.8K

$16.92 MYR 69.0

4.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$3.46 MYR 14.12

18.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$5.93 MYR 24.20

105.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.7K

$1.67 MYR 6.82

122.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.01 MYR 4.11

57.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$1.67 MYR 6.82

36.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.16 MYR 4.75

68.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$0.52 MYR 2.10

267.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.20 MYR 4.89

94.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.76 MYR 3.09

32.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,788

$0.44 MYR 1.81

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$4.20 MYR 17.13

-46.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.2K

$19.38 MYR 79.1

19.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$2.90 MYR 11.85

-16.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$1.93 MYR 7.87

55.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,821

$1.20 MYR 4.88

-77.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.3K

$16.15 MYR 65.9

-44.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,580

$1.00 MYR 4.07

-52.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,691

$0.89 MYR 3.64

-51.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$2.40 MYR 9.77

135.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.59 MYR 2.40

35.59%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.4M

$45.0K MYR 183.6K

-44.58%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.4M

$38.8K MYR 158.5K

-18.37%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$59.7 MYR 244

36.45%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$31.36 MYR 128

-79.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.9K

$31.26 MYR 128

-39.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$68.8 MYR 281

-17.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.2K

$12.31 MYR 50.2

52.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$4.47 MYR 18.22

1.57%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$129 MYR 528

271.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$7,469 MYR 30.5K

-23.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.3K

$66.1 MYR 270

-31.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.4K

$35.14 MYR 143

2.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$79.7 MYR 325

0.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$91.7 MYR 374

-14.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$219 MYR 892

409.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$155 MYR 632

350.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$487 MYR 1,988

646.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$338 MYR 1,378

414.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$1,724 MYR 7,035

61.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$1,139 MYR 4,646

101.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$603 MYR 2,458

-72.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.5

206.22%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $219 in Bintulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bintulu pays 259% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $19.00 in Bintulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $232 per month, with Bintulu 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 Bintulu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 259% lower in Bintulu. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $219 in Bintulu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $843 in Bintulu – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 80% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $843 in Bintulu versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bintulu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Bintulu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $843 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bintulu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Bintulu 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 Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.