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: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $579 in Bukit Mertajam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $920 in Bukit Mertajam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,261 in Bukit Mertajam.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 138% more expensive than in Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, Bukit Mertajam is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$3.47 MYR 14.00

-4.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$21.12 MYR 85.3

85.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$4.84 MYR 19.55

16.12%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.72 MYR 10.99

-2.94%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$0.84 MYR 3.39

88.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.36 MYR 1.44

97.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$2.43 MYR 9.83

12.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$4.34 MYR 17.52

-0.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$2.11 MYR 8.53

-27.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$1.14 MYR 4.62

101.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.74 MYR 7.02

-40.80%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$2.52 MYR 10.17

-15.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$15.55 MYR 62.8

11.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$4.70 MYR 18.99

-14.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$9.58 MYR 38.72

29.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$2.43 MYR 9.83

52.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.47 MYR 5.92

10.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$2.23 MYR 9.03

1.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$1.20 MYR 4.86

65.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$0.86 MYR 3.47

112.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$0.80 MYR 3.23

181.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$0.73 MYR 2.94

42.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$0.64 MYR 2.58

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$4.49 MYR 18.14

-50.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$19.13 MYR 77.3

21.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$2.48 MYR 10.02

-3.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$3.73 MYR 15.09

-23.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$1.25 MYR 5.04

-63.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$0.51 MYR 2.06

-9.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$4.90 MYR 19.78

16.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.82 MYR 3.31

-7.32%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$41.7K MYR 168.5K

-41.10%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$34.7K MYR 140.2K

-10.61%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$51.5 MYR 208

59.68%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$8.63 MYR 34.87

-26.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$31.51 MYR 127

-41.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$4.73 MYR 19.13

-9.94%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$243 MYR 980

101.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$4,982 MYR 20.1K

16.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$54.4 MYR 220

-15.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$35.22 MYR 142

1.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$72.5 MYR 293

9.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$97.6 MYR 394

-17.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$570 MYR 2,302

-70.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.22

226.54%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Bukit Mertajam pays 237% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $21.00 in Bukit Mertajam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $257 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 138% in total monthly costs ($1,379 vs $579 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 237% lower in Bukit Mertajam. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $579 in Bukit Mertajam – a 138% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $579 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,379 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 138% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.