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 $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $424 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $686 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $949 in El Mahalla El Kubra, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 230% more than El Mahalla El Kubra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while El Mahalla El Kubra is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$4.26 E£217

-20.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$14.91 E£758

158.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$3.07 E£156

79.80%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$1.36 E£69.0

94.12%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$0.32 E£16.12

421.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.12 E£6.28

541.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$1.39 E£70.8

89.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$2.91 E£148

47.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$0.85 E£43.44

82.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$0.29 E£14.62

665.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$0.57 E£29.25

98.25%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$1.23 E£62.8

69.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.7K

$2.98 E£151

483.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$4.10 E£208

-5.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.3K

$7.61 E£387

64.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$1.60 E£81.5

126.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$0.67 E£34.19

132.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$0.51 E£25.87

360.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$0.37 E£19.02

456.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$0.27 E£13.79

603.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.33 E£16.92

609.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.29 E£14.86

255.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,780

$0.22 E£11.21

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$1.93 E£98.4

16.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$6.00 E£305

296.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.31 E£66.8

76.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$2.69 E£137

4.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.17 E£8.76

58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$0.33 E£16.64

45.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,864

$0.45 E£22.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$0.94 E£47.81

508.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$0.40 E£20.35

90.00%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.7M

$32.8K E£1.7M

-25.39%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$23.6K E£1.2M

36.13%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$14.19 E£722

488.79%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$4.12 E£210

56.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.9K

$8.95 E£455

112.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.9K

$17.98 E£915

211.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$2.99 E£152

43.14%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$32.73 E£1,665

1386.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$2,190 E£111.4K

167.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$17.20 E£875

164.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$45.15 E£2,297

-19.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$107 E£5,450

-23.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$55.9 E£2,841

43.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$130 E£6,627

757.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$74.2 E£3,775

844.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$263 E£13.4K

1246.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$154 E£7,824

1045.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$787 E£40.0K

259.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$409 E£20.8K

460.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

21.33

-35.40%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for El Mahalla El Kubra: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $130 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $15.00 in El Mahalla El Kubra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $116 – 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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, $424 in El Mahalla El Kubra – roughly 230% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $636 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 $1,396 in Ubud, Bali and $424 in El Mahalla El Kubra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $487 per month in Ubud, Bali and $32.73 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 $424, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. 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 $424 in El Mahalla El Kubra to $1,396 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.