Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Bukit Mertajam Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Bukit Mertajam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $661 in Bukit Mertajam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,224 in Bukit Mertajam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,786 in Bukit Mertajam.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 113% more expensive than Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Bukit Mertajam is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$1.91 MYR 7.76

86.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$19.96 MYR 80.9

62.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$3.70 MYR 15.02

31.35%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.23 MYR 9.03

23.32%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.74 MYR 3.02

78.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.34 MYR 1.37

105.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$3.14 MYR 12.74

-7.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$4.70 MYR 19.04

-19.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.67 MYR 6.77

2.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.09 MYR 4.40

126.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$0.56 MYR 2.29

114.29%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.89 MYR 7.68

29.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$22.75 MYR 92.3

-36.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$5.04 MYR 20.42

-14.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$10.43 MYR 42.28

17.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$3.88 MYR 15.75

-5.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.76 MYR 7.13

-11.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$3.48 MYR 14.10

-19.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$2.66 MYR 10.77

-12.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.76 MYR 7.12

11.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.00 MYR 4.04

131.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.11 MYR 4.52

-4.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.36 MYR 1.47

102.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$4.33 MYR 17.57

-24.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$18.90 MYR 76.7

20.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$4.28 MYR 17.34

-34.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.61 MYR 10.59

6.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.69 MYR 2.78

-57.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$11.80 MYR 47.83

-31.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.20 MYR 4.87

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.13 MYR 4.59

-60.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$4.25 MYR 17.25

46.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$0.46 MYR 1.88

84.78%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$44.2K MYR 179.3K

-41.23%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$31.2K MYR 126.7K

1.33%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$26.68 MYR 108

202.66%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$9.95 MYR 40.36

-59.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$28.90 MYR 117

-15.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$37.31 MYR 151

161.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$5.92 MYR 23.99

8.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$4.16 MYR 16.85

-2.88%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$119 MYR 483

155.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$4,260 MYR 17.3K

55.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$11.98 MYR 48.58

352.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$63.2 MYR 256

-38.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$23.23 MYR 94.2

270.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$78.2 MYR 317

-1.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$391 MYR 1,584

152.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$58.8 MYR 238

1018.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$656 MYR 2,662

413.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$477 MYR 1,936

332.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$990 MYR 4,016

-83.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

3.96

235.35%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $391 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bukit Mertajam pays 506% 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 $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $300, with Ubud, Bali cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bukit Mertajam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Bukit Mertajam differ by about 113% in total monthly costs ($1,404 vs $661 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bukit Mertajam earns 506% 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $391 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $661 in Bukit Mertajam – a 113% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $661 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.