Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and George Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and George Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $828 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,304 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,781 in George Town.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 70% more expensive than George Town, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, George Town is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$3.13 MYR 12.71

14.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$21.31 MYR 86.4

52.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$4.14 MYR 16.80

17.39%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.58 MYR 10.46

6.59%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.77 MYR 3.14

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.33 MYR 1.36

112.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$4.26 MYR 17.26

-31.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$4.79 MYR 19.42

-20.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.85 MYR 7.50

-7.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.12 MYR 4.54

120.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.69 MYR 6.85

-28.99%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.05 MYR 8.32

19.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$17.52 MYR 71.0

-17.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$4.95 MYR 20.07

-12.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$10.66 MYR 43.24

14.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.82 MYR 11.44

30.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.43 MYR 5.82

8.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$2.19 MYR 8.87

27.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.26 MYR 5.12

84.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$0.89 MYR 3.59

121.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.21 MYR 4.91

90.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.69 MYR 2.78

53.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.55 MYR 2.25

32.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$4.02 MYR 16.28

-18.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$12.54 MYR 50.9

81.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$2.63 MYR 10.68

6.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$3.38 MYR 13.72

-17.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.49 MYR 1.97

-40.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$11.56 MYR 46.89

-30.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.16 MYR 4.72

-61.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.44 MYR 1.78

2.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$6.61 MYR 26.80

-5.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$0.47 MYR 1.89

80.85%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$33.2K MYR 134.6K

-21.71%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$24.7K MYR 100.2K

28.08%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$38.53 MYR 156

109.58%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$9.93 MYR 40.25

-59.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$29.52 MYR 120

-17.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$38.84 MYR 157

151.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$3.66 MYR 14.85

76.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$4.06 MYR 16.45

-0.49%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$150 MYR 607

103.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$4,580 MYR 18.6K

44.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$50.8 MYR 206

6.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$29.05 MYR 118

33.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$60.5 MYR 245

42.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$52.4 MYR 213

46.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$370 MYR 1,501

166.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$259 MYR 1,051

153.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$712 MYR 2,887

373.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$498 MYR 2,018

315.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$1,085 MYR 4,400

-84.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.16

219.23%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for George Town: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $370 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 564% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $21.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $251 per month, with George Town cheaper across the board.

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 George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, George Town earns 564% 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $370 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 43% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $150 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $828 in George Town versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George Town but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes George Town the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George Town 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 George Town 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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.