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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $779 in Fuvahmulah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,126 in Fuvahmulah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,474 in Fuvahmulah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 82% more expensive than Fuvahmulah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Fuvahmulah is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.61 MVR 24.75

12.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$0.92 MVR 14.18

173.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$0.47 MVR 7.28

146.81%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.53 MVR 23.62

60.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$6.52 MVR 101

125.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$4.71 MVR 72.6

-8.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$13.03 MVR 201

-6.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$3.20 MVR 49.27

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.29 MVR 19.83

20.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$3.31 MVR 51.1

-14.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.60 MVR 24.61

45.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.08 MVR 16.65

76.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.11 MVR 17.16

98.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.60 MVR 24.71

-36.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.63 MVR 9.74

23.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.81 MVR 58.8

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$6.93 MVR 107

-52.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.64 MVR 9.80

-57.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$19.35 MVR 298

-58.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$1.65 MVR 25.47

-72.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$1.65 MVR 25.51

-72.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$6.58 MVR 101

-7.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.32 MVR 20.29

-40.15%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$19.5K MVR 301.2K

33.88%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$22.5K MVR 347.7K

42.46%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$159 MVR 2,456

-49.82%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$38.49 MVR 594

-38.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$22.51 MVR 347

338.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$13.06 MVR 201

-49.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$6.55 MVR 101

-36.64%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$154 MVR 2,379

97.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$2,284 MVR 35.2K

189.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$28.82 MVR 444

92.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$18.82 MVR 290

103.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$38.43 MVR 593

130.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$52.1 MVR 803

49.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$325 MVR 5,014

209.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$262 MVR 4,040

157.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$553 MVR 8,532

522.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$512 MVR 7,899

298.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$352 MVR 5,430

542.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$665 MVR 10.3K

-75.14%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Fuvahmulah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $325 in Fuvahmulah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fuvahmulah pays 302% 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 82% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Fuvahmulah earns 302% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $325 in Fuvahmulah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $154 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 141% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $779 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,419 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 82% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.