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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $434 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $691 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $948 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 5% above the global median, while El Mahalla El Kubra is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$3.52 E£180

-1.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$14.01 E£715

130.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$3.94 E£201

22.84%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$0.95 E£48.75

189.47%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.29 E£14.73

375.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.11 E£5.74

581.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.18 E£60.1

153.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.90 E£148

32.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$0.81 E£41.35

114.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.29 E£14.55

748.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.53 E£27.22

120.75%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.40 E£71.5

73.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$2.43 E£124

496.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$4.27 E£218

1.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$7.36 E£375

62.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$1.29 E£65.7

188.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$0.54 E£27.59

201.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$0.43 E£21.92

537.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$0.27 E£13.86

729.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.32 E£16.54

500.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.41 E£20.92

456.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.24 E£12.28

341.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.17 E£8.69

323.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$1.98 E£101

66.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$5.90 E£301

293.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.40 E£71.5

98.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.59 E£132

5.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.19 E£9.81

42.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$0.39 E£19.88

23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.11 E£5.55

281.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$1.01 E£51.3

515.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.32 E£16.58

153.13%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$36.1K E£1.8M

-26.26%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$33.3K E£1.7M

-3.24%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$11.53 E£589

579.53%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$5.73 E£293

-28.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$9.84 E£502

147.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$21.96 E£1,121

349.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$2.94 E£150

35.71%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$33.28 E£1,699

816.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$1,818 E£92.8K

265.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$18.04 E£921

200.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$43.55 E£2,223

-13.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$109 E£5,561

-20.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$49.70 E£2,537

53.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$191 E£9,775

418.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$100 E£5,106

572.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$310 E£15.8K

987.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$178 E£9,107

1049.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$900 E£46.0K

211.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$447 E£22.8K

397.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 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: July 11, 2026

Last update for El Mahalla El Kubra: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $191 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $14.00 in El Mahalla El Kubra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $111 – 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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $434 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 $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $651 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 $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $434 in El Mahalla El Kubra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Ubud, Bali and $33.28 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 $434, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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 $434 in El Mahalla El Kubra to $1,408 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.