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: $1,374 in Ubud, Bali versus $774 in Fuvahmulah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,313 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,123 in Fuvahmulah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,252 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,472 in Fuvahmulah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 77% more expensive than in Fuvahmulah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Fuvahmulah is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.33 Rp 635.6K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 Rp 95.9K

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.5K

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

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 53.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 Rp 79.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

$1.60 MVR 24.62

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

$0.89 MVR 13.70

158.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

$0.47 MVR 7.23

134.04%

Eggs

$2.16 Rp 38.9K

$1.54 MVR 23.68

40.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 Rp 307.4K

$6.32 MVR 97.5

170.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.8K

$4.87 MVR 75.1

-20.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 Rp 214.4K

$12.73 MVR 196

-6.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 Rp 64.1K

$3.32 MVR 51.2

7.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

$1.26 MVR 19.35

25.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 42.5K

$3.27 MVR 50.4

-27.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.4K

$1.63 MVR 25.19

20.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.5K

$1.11 MVR 17.18

63.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 43.0K

$1.12 MVR 17.25

113.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$1.60 MVR 24.64

-36.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,841

$0.64 MVR 9.84

-23.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.91 MVR 60.3

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.4K

$6.76 MVR 104

-66.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.30 Rp 401.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 Rp 42.6K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,482

$0.67 MVR 10.38

-62.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.55 Rp 153.9K

$19.05 MVR 294

-55.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,950

$1.59 MVR 24.45

-72.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,598

$1.66 MVR 25.54

-74.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 Rp 101.9K

$6.65 MVR 103

-14.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.7K

$1.31 MVR 20.18

-38.17%

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

$23.7K Rp 427.1M

$19.1K MVR 293.8K

24.58%

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

$31.0K Rp 557.4M

$23.0K MVR 354.8K

34.62%

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

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$160 MVR 2,464

-48.48%

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

$6.30 Rp 113.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.63 Rp 335.3K

$37.69 MVR 581

-50.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 Rp 984.7K

$22.82 MVR 352

139.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 Rp 331.9K

$12.88 MVR 199

43.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 76.3K

$6.66 MVR 103

-36.34%

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

$484 Rp 8.7M

$154 MVR 2,376

214.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,590 Rp 100.6M

$2,286 MVR 35.3K

144.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.77 Rp 823.5K

$28.74 MVR 443

59.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 Rp 642.2K

$19.40 MVR 299

83.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$38.45 MVR 593

103.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

$51.4 MVR 793

55.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 Rp 20.6M

$327 MVR 5,050

250.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 Rp 12.2M

$264 MVR 4,065

157.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 Rp 63.0M

$539 MVR 8,313

549.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 Rp 30.4M

$522 MVR 8,052

223.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 Rp 50.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,257 Rp 40.6M

$349 MVR 5,389

545.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$665 MVR 10.3K

-75.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 28, 2026

Last update for Fuvahmulah: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Ubud, Bali and $327 in Fuvahmulah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fuvahmulah pays 303% 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 303% 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: $1,147 in Ubud, Bali versus $327 in Fuvahmulah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $484 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 123% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $774 in Fuvahmulah versus $1,374 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 77% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.