Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and El Mahalla El Kubra Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and El Mahalla El Kubra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $689 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $939 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 224% more than El Mahalla El Kubra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while El Mahalla El Kubra is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$3.55 E£184

0.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$13.58 E£705

141.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$3.98 E£207

24.37%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$0.96 E£49.99

182.29%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.31 E£16.31

332.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.13 E£6.50

438.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$1.16 E£60.2

151.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$3.02 E£157

31.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$0.79 E£41.06

129.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$0.29 E£15.03

768.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$0.58 E£30.30

100.00%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.45 E£75.2

69.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$2.50 E£130

488.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$4.34 E£225

-0.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$7.32 E£380

65.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$1.29 E£67.1

197.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$0.58 E£29.98

168.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$0.42 E£21.84

573.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$0.27 E£14.04

762.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$0.35 E£18.34

445.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$0.40 E£20.82

450.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$0.22 E£11.38

359.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.20 E£10.55

290.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$1.90 E£98.7

74.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$5.70 E£296

316.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.41 E£73.2

97.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.57 E£133

11.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.19 E£9.74

42.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$0.41 E£21.50

12.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$0.11 E£5.86

309.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$0.95 E£49.37

542.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.32 E£16.72

146.88%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$36.1K E£1.9M

-27.65%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$32.5K E£1.7M

-1.24%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$11.10 E£576

620.18%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$5.58 E£290

-27.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$9.92 E£515

137.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$22.42 E£1,164

340.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$2.90 E£151

43.10%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$33.25 E£1,726

814.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$1,840 E£95.5K

259.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$18.08 E£938

207.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$43.33 E£2,249

-11.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$108 E£5,594

-17.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$49.98 E£2,594

55.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$193 E£10.0K

420.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$101 E£5,224

570.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$306 E£15.9K

1025.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$180 E£9,349

1032.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$785 E£40.7K

262.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$397 E£20.6K

469.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-21.88%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for El Mahalla El Kubra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $193 in El Mahalla El Kubra. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $14.00 in El Mahalla El Kubra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $112 – making El Mahalla El Kubra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 El Mahalla El Kubra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra – roughly 224% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $658 in El Mahalla El Kubra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Mahalla El Kubra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $33.25 in El Mahalla El Kubra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Mahalla El Kubra, where all-in costs run around $438, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In El Mahalla El Kubra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $438 in El Mahalla El Kubra to $1,419 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with El Mahalla El Kubra. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.