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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $639 in Bukit Mertajam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,215 in Bukit Mertajam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,790 in Bukit Mertajam.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 125% more expensive than Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Bukit Mertajam is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$1.85 MYR 7.32

92.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$20.24 MYR 80.0

60.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$3.82 MYR 15.09

32.72%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.33 MYR 9.19

21.46%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.74 MYR 2.94

81.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.33 MYR 1.32

109.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$3.02 MYR 11.93

-0.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$4.74 MYR 18.71

-18.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.68 MYR 6.63

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.13 MYR 4.47

124.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.61 MYR 2.41

95.08%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.86 MYR 7.34

30.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$22.05 MYR 87.1

-33.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$4.88 MYR 19.27

-14.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$10.54 MYR 41.64

13.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$3.86 MYR 15.27

-4.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.77 MYR 6.97

-9.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$3.40 MYR 13.41

-20.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$2.57 MYR 10.17

-9.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.71 MYR 6.75

11.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.00 MYR 3.97

119.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.07 MYR 4.22

-0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.36 MYR 1.44

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$4.19 MYR 16.55

-25.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$19.23 MYR 76.0

22.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$4.23 MYR 16.70

-35.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.56 MYR 10.10

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.72 MYR 2.86

-59.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$11.90 MYR 47.00

-31.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.15 MYR 4.56

-60.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.15 MYR 4.55

-63.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$4.17 MYR 16.49

47.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$0.50 MYR 1.97

68.00%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$44.1K MYR 174.1K

-40.45%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$31.4K MYR 124.1K

3.40%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$26.25 MYR 104

198.74%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$9.95 MYR 39.29

-60.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$28.38 MYR 112

-14.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$36.20 MYR 143

166.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$6.00 MYR 23.72

5.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$4.30 MYR 16.98

-6.05%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$117 MYR 461

159.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$4,334 MYR 17.1K

50.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$11.96 MYR 47.25

350.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$63.0 MYR 249

-39.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$23.31 MYR 92.1

272.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$79.9 MYR 316

-1.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$383 MYR 1,514

164.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$59.0 MYR 233

1043.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$647 MYR 2,556

423.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$467 MYR 1,845

349.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$975 MYR 3,853

-82.25%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $383 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bukit Mertajam pays 463% 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 for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $297 per month, with Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Bukit Mertajam differ by about 125% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $639 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 463% 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 $383 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 $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $639 in Bukit Mertajam – a 125% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $639 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,438 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 125% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.