Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Fuvahmulah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Fuvahmulah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $764 in Fuvahmulah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,102 in Fuvahmulah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,441 in Fuvahmulah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 84% more expensive than in Fuvahmulah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Fuvahmulah is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.66 MVR 25.58

4.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.91 MVR 14.05

170.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.47 MVR 7.23

148.94%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.54 MVR 23.80

57.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$6.43 MVR 99.2

125.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$4.77 MVR 73.6

-8.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$13.08 MVR 202

-8.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$3.19 MVR 49.26

16.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.33 MVR 20.44

22.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$3.20 MVR 49.32

-14.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.63 MVR 25.14

37.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.11 MVR 17.16

72.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.09 MVR 16.80

109.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.64 MVR 25.34

-35.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.62 MVR 9.55

16.13%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.80 MVR 58.7

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$6.84 MVR 105

-51.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.66 MVR 10.21

-59.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$19.20 MVR 296

-57.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.60 MVR 24.70

-70.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$1.66 MVR 25.65

-74.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$6.39 MVR 98.5

-2.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.28 MVR 19.69

-36.72%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$19.4K MVR 299.6K

36.98%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$22.4K MVR 345.6K

43.63%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$165 MVR 2,545

-52.52%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$38.96 MVR 601

-37.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$23.09 MVR 356

327.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$13.23 MVR 204

-52.08%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$6.43 MVR 99.1

-37.95%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$155 MVR 2,397

96.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$2,301 MVR 35.5K

188.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$29.49 MVR 455

83.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$19.37 MVR 299

95.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$38.97 MVR 601

122.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$51.8 MVR 799

47.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$322 MVR 4,969

207.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$255 MVR 3,928

164.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$556 MVR 8,567

507.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$526 MVR 8,118

289.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$352 MVR 5,421

533.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$646 MVR 9,957

-74.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Fuvahmulah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $322 in Fuvahmulah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fuvahmulah pays 287% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Fuvahmulah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fuvahmulah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 287% lower in Fuvahmulah. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $322 in Fuvahmulah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $155 in Fuvahmulah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Fuvahmulah runs roughly 137% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $764 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fuvahmulah but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Fuvahmulah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fuvahmulah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Fuvahmulah 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 Fuvahmulah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.